A What-if Scenario
by RileyOlsen
Summary: Han. Leia. Hoth. It's cold. An AU documenting what might have happened if the world's most stubborn couple got together before the ride to Bespin.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is, obviously, AU. I've had it rattling around in my brain for a while. I'm going to do my best to post a new chapter every weekend._

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It was late on Hoth. Not so late that everyone was sleeping; she was sure at least a few of the Rogues were holed up in one of the rooms playing sabacc and drinking whatever Han had managed to procure for them on his last offworld mission. But by this time, she was usually in her own tiny cot on Echo Base, shivering as she tossed and turned in layers and layers of uncomfortable clothing. If she was lucky, she might get an hour or two of unbroken sleep before the nightmares kicked in, or her alarm blared, or her comm went off with the latest emergency.

It had been a long day, as they all were, but for whatever reason, Leia hadn't been able to face another restless night alone after her 12-hour shift in the command center. Maybe it was because, since the Rebellion's victory at the _Death Star_ , she felt like they'd been hiding more than fighting-one step forward, one step back. Maybe it was because morale was low, and who could blame the troops? The base was frigid and, thanks to the tauntauns, it didn't smell too great either.

Maybe it was because a certain pilot had showed up around midday and handed her a warm, freshly cooked meal without a word before making some excuse to talk to Rieekan, and the indulgent lunch had made settling for the status quo-stale ration bars and sleepless nights in a cold bunk-just unbearable enough that she was willing to change things up.

 _Just go back to your bunk, Leia,_ she argued with herself as she wandered down the corridors, destination firmly in mind. _No good can come of this._

 _I might warm up and get some damn sleep, that'd be pretty good_ , she reasoned internally.

 _You can't just go to a man's ship in the middle of the night. There are implications!_

 _But I'm so cold! His ship is warm. He'll still be awake. No harm in having a drink and taking advantage of the_ Falcon's _heating systems._

 _Please. You don't want_ sleep _._

 _I'm not initiating anything!_

 _But you're also not planning to stop it…_

If she was being honest, it wasn't the first time she'd had this conversation with herself. Her feelings towards Han were… complicated. Most days, he was a dear friend. A lot of those days, he was also an adversary, someone who knew just how to push her buttons. And then there were the days when he felt like... more than that. Those were usually the days they engaged in loud arguments that had made them the topic of much discussion around the Hoth headquarters.

 _I'm not planning anything. I'm just going to let things happen for a change. Is that so bad?_

 _Yeah, until he tells the whole base about it, or takes off the next day…_

Deep down, Leia really didn't take Han as the type to gossip, but his leaving was a genuine concern. He talked about it all the time-if it wasn't his debt to Jabba, it was that the Rebellion wasn't _his cause_ , last three years be damned.

Entering the hangar, she was relieved to see that the _Millennium Falcon_ 's ramp was already down, despite the late hour. Han had given her the codes, but entering them herself would have drawn much more attention to the situation, both from the _Falcon_ 's occupants and any passersby working the late shift.

 _Well, he can't possibly be sleeping if his entry ramp is down, right?_

 _Maybe he has company, Leia, did you ever think of that?_

Leia stopped short. She'd seen the way the other women looked at Han, made excuses to brush against him, talk to him; he hadn't rejected any of them outright, but she hadn't seen him return their affections either.

 _It's fine. I'll just sit with Chewbacca and have a drink._

 _You didn't come here to see Chewie._

 _Shut up. We're doing this._

Taking a deep breath, Leia climbed the ramp-and bumped right into the chest of Captain Han Solo himself.

He stared at her curiously for a moment and she felt her cheeks flushing. Before she could come up with an explanation for her presence, he drawled, "I was just about to close up for the night, Princess."

"I'm sorry," she breathlessly offered in reply. "I should go-I'll go. I'm sorry."

Han grinned at her. "Nah, it's all right. Come on in."

She took a few steps forward and Han entered the code to close up the boarding ramp behind her, then motioned to the main hold. "Just closin' it up so we don't get any drunk Rogues crashin' the party," he explained, not wanting her to feel trapped. "Ah… you need anything? Want a drink?"

"Yes, please. Anything that'll help warm me up," Leia sighed, relieved that he wasn't making a big deal of her being there.

Han stared at her as if he had a few ideas about how to _warm her up_ , but instead grabbed a couple of bottles of dark liquid from the cooler. Once his back was turned, he let his mind wander. He'd bitten back every urge to make an inappropriate comment or innuendo in the last few minutes, but he knew there were only two reasons she'd seek him out late at night. Either something was really wrong, or…

 _No way, Solo. Don't even think about it. She's probably just cold and sleep-deprived, like she says._ Telling himself to keep his hopes in check, he joined her at the game table in the hold. "So what's goin' on, sweetheart?" he drawled-not unkindly, but with only a hint of his usual teasing.

"Well," Leia started before licking her lips nervously, "My quarters were… so cold. I know you keep the _Falcon_ warm, so I thought… I hope you don't mind." She took a long gulp of her drink and stared up at him.

 _You thought I'd warm you up?_ It took everything in his power to bite back that question. "Well, I always tell you you're welcome here," he growled before wondering if that sounded too innuendo-laden. "And the kid," he added quickly to attempt to negate any possible damage. "I mean-you're both-you can come whenever. Don't know how you sleep in this ice palace."

"I haven't been," Leia admitted. "I don't sleep well under the best of circumstances, but with sub-optimal temperatures on Hoth it's been even worse."

"Still havin' nightmares?" he asked gently.

She nodded, knowing there was no point in denying it. They'd been on too many missions together for her to keep it a secret. She thought back to one of their first shared off-base assignments, holed up in a hostel with Luke and Han, waking up screaming in the night and scaring the hell out of both of them. She'd never been more embarrassed, but somehow they made her feel better in a way no one else could. And long after Luke had fallen back asleep, Han had played cards with her while telling stories of his adventures with Chewie, taking her mind off the vivid dreams. "I think Hoth is making them worse," she admitted. "Maybe because of the cold. I can't ever get into a deep sleep."

"Sleep here tonight," Han replied without thinking. Upon seeing Leia's alarmed look, he added, "Uh, I mean-we got the spare cabin, and it's a hell of a lot warmer than your quarters. You're gonna have a hard time bossin' everyone around if you don't get some rest," he teased.

Leia considered carefully. Her first instinct was to say no, because that's what she always did, but the idea of sleeping somewhere warm and comfortable was too good to pass up. "Chewie won't mind?" she asked.

"Chewie's already bunked out for the night, but no, he wouldn't mind," Han promised, hiding a smile behind his palm. "And I think you left some personal stuff here from the last few trips, so you should be set there."

"Okay," Leia agreed with a small smile. "Thank you." She tipped the bottle to her lips and took a longer sip, only to let out a gasp. "That's spicy!"

"Yeah, it's made with Corellian peppers. Kinda hard to get, so I gotta hide 'em from the Rogues," Han drawled before taking a sip of his own beer.

"Well, thank you for sharing," she replied. "I love spicy things." Her cheeks tinged pink as she realized that could potentially be a double entendre.

It was another drink before Leia truly started to feel herself relax, and one more after that until she and Han were laughing over stories of their pasts, sitting dangerously close to one another at the Dejarik table. That nagging voice in Leia's head occasionally chimed in, but she silenced it every time with another sip, another giggle, another shift of her hips in Solo's general direction.

"So we hightail it to the _Falcon_ , and this grunt is waiting there thinking he's gonna get a big payday," Han said, in the middle of a story. "And before he even gets a shot at me, Chewie comes up behind him and rips his damn arms out!" He let out a loud laugh and Leia couldn't help but chime in. She found herself close enough to Han that she could smell him, that combination of engine grease and Corellian musk she knew to be distinctively _his_. As she playfully placed a hand on his chest, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and it felt unnervingly natural.

"What about you, Your Highness? I'm sure you had some crazy adventures before Luke and me pulled you outta the _Death Star_."

"Before the _Death Star_ , I was a Senator from the time I was 14," she replied dryly. "I'm afraid I didn't have much time for adventures before… all of this. Although I did miss curfew sometimes. And Father said that as a child I constantly slipped away from my instructors and guards."

"Yeah, I bet you were a little hellion," Han said with a grin. "'Sides, leading a rebellion and taking down the Empire is a pretty big adventure, if you ask me. When I was your age, I was still bummin' around the Outer Rim, tryin' to get two credits together for my own ship."

"And that was… how many years ago?" she asked slyly. Han had always avoided any questions of a personal nature, right down to his age, but she had a feeling he might answer tonight.

"Why you wanna know, sweetheart?" he queried charmingly. Upon seeing her disappointed look, he sighed. "Ten years ago. No, wait-11. Damn, I've gotten old."

"I must seem like a child," Leia responded somberly.

"Nah, you're old for your age," Han responded easily. "I always forget you'n Luke are the same age."

Leia flashed him a sad smile. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment. I sometimes wish I had more time for… teenage debauchery. I never imagined things would change so quickly."

Han couldn't stand the tragic look on her face, so without even knowing why, he tightened his grip around her and landed a kiss among the mass of hair on her head. "You're still young," he murmured. "You got plenty of time for debauchery." The words were out of his mouth before he could even think about what he was saying. Instead of being offended, however, Leia seemed to be deep in thought, so he followed it up with a wink to lighten the mood.

Leia pulled back a bit and stared up at him. Her gaze met his, unblinking, for a few moments. For so long, she had dismissed Han as an uncaring mercenary, yet here he was knowing exactly what to say. Again. "Why did you bring me lunch today?" she asked softly, hands playing at the collar of his shirt.

"Cause you never eat enough," he replied unapologetically, playing with the loose tendrils of her hair.

Leia looked up at him. "You care if I don't eat enough?" She saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

"'Course I care," he finally murmured.

 _Let things happen_ , she told herself as her face drifted towards his, her hand reaching into his hair and pulling her closer.

Their lips met gently at first, a careful exploration. Not yet satisfied, Leia pushed for more, opening her mouth and exploring his with her tongue. After a few moments, his hands moved from her shoulders to her waist, pulling her closer as she kissed him like it was the last thing she would do. It was only when she needed to breathe that she pulled away, chest heaving softly, only vaguely wondering what in the seven hells she had done.

"Did… did you just kiss me?" Han sputtered after a moment.

"Ah… no?" Leia replied helplessly, her face feeling unusually warm. He gave her answer a charming smirk, tilting his head at her. Before she could articulate anything else, he was back for more, his lips pressing to hers with a forceful passion as his hands gripped her sides. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, holding on for dear life, her mind a jumble of warring thoughts like _Too much, too much!_ and _Oh, this is very nice._

"Did you just kiss me?" Leia echoed when they finally broke apart.

The arrogant smirk became an eager grin. "Hell yeah," Han replied eagerly.

Neither of them were sure who initiated the next round of contact, but before either knew what was happening, Leia was on her back on the curved bench and Han was climbing over her. His perfect mouth left her lips and kissed a trail to her neck, teeth lightly nipping the skin there. Leia felt a mild panic as his hands traveled over her body; not because she wanted it to stop, but because she _didn't_.

And then she stopped thinking, because Han's tongue made its way to her ear, which was shockingly erotic. She let out a surprised whimper and arched her back-

-hitting her head on the holochess table with a _thunk_.

It ruined the moment, but they both laughed about it lightly while pulling apart, Han rubbing the spot where her head hit the table and then kissing it gently as she apologized repeatedly.

"Not your fault, Princess. This ain't exactly a luxury cruiser. We, ah, might be more comfortable in my bunk," he murmured in her ear.

"Okay," she whispered, barely recognizing the sound of her own voice. She extracted herself from the booth, Han following behind her, and he grasped her hand in his. He was staring at her curiously, like he couldn't quite believe this was actually happening. _That makes two of us_ , Leia mused.


	2. Chapter 2

Once the door to Han's bunk had zipped shut and he'd engaged the locking mechanism behind them, there was an awkward moment as he and Leia just sort of stared at each other. After a few moments, she let out a nervous giggle, and Han rewarded her with a smile. Not a smirk, a genuine, teeth-baring smile. She only had a second to admire the way his face lit up before he moved closer to her and playfully grabbed her hands. Giving them a squeeze, he dropped her hands and ran his own up and down the heavy sleeves of her jumpsuit.

"You okay, sweetheart?" he murmured close to her ear. Leia had to fight the urge to gasp, and instead nodded enthusiastically. He smiled again and kissed her forehead. Then his lips were on hers, resurrecting the dance they'd started in the lounge, and she leaned into him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

His hands moved to the zipper of her thermal vest, and she let him unzip it before shrugging it off her shoulders. She was far from bare to him-still had several layers of cold-fighting gear on, in fact-but the gesture served as a signal of where they both wanted the night to go. The thought stunned her so much she pulled away without even realizing she was doing it.

Han mistook her pause as hesitation and said, "We don't have to do anything you don't want to, Leia."

She smiled up at him. "I know," she replied, barely above a whisper. In that moment, she knew that for all his blustering and flirting, she would always be safe with Han. That feeling warmed her from the inside out, quelling any last fears about what would happen next. _Just let it happen_.

Wanting to reassure him, she made the next move, leaning into him as she captured his lips with hers. The pattern of kisses was slow and then frantic, sweet and shallow and then deep and hungry. Eventually, they broke apart, with Leia breathlessly declaring, "It's so warm in here."

Han chuckled, sounding a bit out of breath himself. "Well, that's what you wanted, right?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her. He plopped down on his bunk and pulled one boot off. "Come on, why don't you get comfortable?"

As he pulled off his other boot, Leia joined him on the bed and removed her footwear and thick socks. It felt nice to be barefoot-usually she was completely covered even when she slept, due to the frigid temperatures on base. Taking Han's call for comfort even further, she let down the thick crown of braids around her head, loosening her hair until it fell in gentle waves. She wasn't sure he understood the intimacy of the act, but she didn't have any doubts.

"Always wanted to see you with your hair down," Han said in a low voice, running his hand through it. "You're so beautiful."

"I… thanks?" Leia replied nervously. She winced at her silly response, but Han found it endearing and grinned eagerly. He tipped her chin up with a finger and his lips found hers again.

"I've wanted to kiss you for so long," he confessed.

There was something in his voice that she hadn't heard before, and Leia tried to identify it-was he _nervous_? Why should he be nervous? She was the one who didn't know what she was doing. "What stopped you?" she asked curiously.

"Well, let's see." Han started listing off reasons with his fingers. "You're always yelling at me. And every time we get close you pick a fight and don't talk to me for a few days. And on our last mission together, you said I had all the breeding of a bantha-"

"To be fair," Leia interrupted, "that was after you unceremoniously announced, once again, that you were leaving." Her voice lowered as she continued, "I was always afraid of you leaving."

"Huh. I guess I was always waiting for you to give me a reason to stay."

That was entirely too heavy to comprehend at the moment, so instead, Leia ran her hands through his thick hair and pulled him to her. As she leaned back against the pillows, his hands made their way under her long-sleeved thermal shirt, slowly trailing up her abdomen and leaving inch after inch of skin exposed. Han peppered her flat, white stomach with kisses and affectionate little bites, catching her pale skin between his teeth. Without needing to be told, Leia pulled the thermal top over her head, along with the tank top underneath; in just an unflattering athletic bra-Alliance issue, of course-her top half was almost bare to him.

Han grinned at her and pulled off his own shirt before feeling his way up to her breasts over her undergarment. While his hands explored, his mouth made its way up to her collarbone, nipping and kissing her exposed skin. "Sweetheart," he murmured softly, kissing what exposed parts of her breasts he could reach. "I want to see you."

Leia exhaled loudly. She wanted that, too-wanted to be completely exposed to this man-but the fact that giving in would confirm all of his teasing in no way escaped her. "Han," she breathed, her seeming refrain for the night. "just promise me-"

She paused, trying to find the right words, failing miserably. She wanted to make him promise that they'd still be friends no matter what happened next-she had so few of them. That he wouldn't purposely hurt her, regardless of what this night meant. That he wouldn't spread this all over the base, making her the topic of gossip. That he wouldn't make her regret anything.

"Promise me," she sighed, hoping he knew what she was saying.

"I'd never do anything to hurt you," Han promised in response. Meeting his eyes, Leia nodded before pulling the bra over her head.

"Leia…" He cut himself off by aggressively exploring her body. His hands moved over her breasts, followed by his mouth, smothering one and then the other with attention. Han stopped only to push off his own pants, leaving him in only his tight boxer-briefs (definitely _not_ Alliance-issued). His hand trailed down Leia's stomach past the waistband of her loose leggings, and she moaned softly in response.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked suddenly, looking at her with an unrecognizable intensity.

Leia gulped, biting her lip and firmly shaking her head _no_.

He kissed her again, softly, before following up with, "Have you ever done this before?"

"No," she replied, softly this time, her cheeks flushing. She broke eye contact, but Han put a hand on her cheek and returned her gaze to him.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Han murmured, sensing her embarrassment. "We'll go slow. If you want me to stop, just tell me, okay?"

She nodded, eyes wide. _Is this really happening?_ She felt Han slide her leggings down her legs and helped him pull them off. _This is really happening._

With both of them down to their underwear, there was a lot of skin touching skin. Leia could feel how warm he was, the defined muscle, the fine hair on his chest. She ran her hands over him, exploring, placing little kisses on his shoulders and neck and face. He was rock solid against her, and she ground her hips against him experimentally, causing him to moan.

His lips moved to her ear while his fingers trailed down her stomach and into her briefs. Slowly, so slowly, he explored her folds, and suddenly there was a finger inside her and she couldn't think. "Oh," she gasped breathlessly, following it up with a moan of her own as she arched her hips.

Suddenly moving faster, Han slid the underwear off her legs and resumed his explorations, this time using two fingers. "Gods, that feels so good," Leia pleaded. "Please don't stop."

He gave her a slow, lazy smile, bringing his other hand up to her breast to massage it gently. "You like that?" he murmured in her ear. All she could do was nod enthusiastically.

For a time part, Leia forgot all about the cold. She forgot about the Rebellion, her upcoming briefings, her grief, her nightmares. She was completely overtaken with the sensations Han's hands were causing, his low growling in her ear-" _Gods, you're so beautiful. You feel amazing. You're so wet. You're making me so hard."_ His touch was so different than using her own-though part of that, Leia admitted to herself, was because her feelings for Han were multiplying her arousal exponentially. She felt herself losing control, and it was almost scary in a way.

Wanting to give him the same feeling, she cautiously ran a hand over the outside of his boxer-briefs, feeling the hardness there and rubbing it experimentally. He growled in response, then stopped his ministrations to remove his underthings. They were both completely exposed now, and she merely gaped at him for a moment; she'd seen holos, she wasn't completely naive, but to have a naked, aroused man in front of her was something completely different.

Tenderly, he kissed her and took her hand, running it over the length of him, showing her what to do until she was confident enough to do it on her own. She stroked him, moving against him in time to his grunts and groans of pleasure, until he pulled her wrist away. "I want you so bad," he growled.

Leia nodded. "So take me," she assured him with a small smile. He moved between her legs and touched her intimately once again, just to make sure she was ready.

"I've got my shot," he promised her. "I'm protected."

"Me too," she replied. He kissed her once more, long and slow, and gave her a look- _you still sure?_ -to which she responded with an excited nod, biting her lip again.

The sensation of him pushing into her was strange and foreign; not unpleasant, but a little painful. Leia knew this would happen and was prepared to push past it. "You okay, sweetheart?" Han gasped.

She nodded again, more forcefully this time. "Don't stop," she whispered harshly.

His hips started moving and before long, the pain subsided, leaving only the blissful feeling of being filled by him. She raked her nails over his back, not exactly sure what to do, but letting her instincts guide her. "Gods, Han," she cried, barely aware that she had spoken.

"You feel so good, baby," he hissed between thrusts. "You're too much for me."

"It's okay, Han," she said, kissing him on whatever exposed skin her lips could reach. "Fuck me."

He wasn't sure if it was hearing her use such vulgar language or just the fulfillment of a longtime fantasy, but Han Solo suddenly felt like he was going supernova. It was completely different from anything he'd felt with any other woman; it wasn't just a need for temporary satisfaction, but a deep, warm feeling threatening to consume him. Before he could analyze that any further, he thrust wildly into Leia, and her legs locked around him. _How'd she get so good at this on the first try?_ Then again, she was a quick learner and good at just about everything; he never should have doubted her.

It wasn't long before he fell over the edge, and as he did, he crushed his lips to hers. The look she was giving him was a mix between amazement and satisfaction, but her smile was genuine and he couldn't help but mirror it. "Leia," he murmured as he pulled out of her and rested beside her on the bunk. "You have no idea how long I've wanted that."

She blushed and buried her head in his chest for a moment before spitting out some muffled words. He tilted her head up and raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to repeat whatever she'd said.

"Did I do okay?" she asked sheepishly.

Han flashed her a beaming smile, no trace of his usual sarcastic smirk present. "Leia, you don't even…" He let out a long breath. "It's never been that good before," he swore, not even bothering to mask the unusual display of blatant honesty. "Are… are you okay?"

She snuggled against his chest, letting out a long breath of air. "That was nice," she sighed. "I liked it."

He couldn't help but laugh at the seemingly innocent comments as his hands resumed the exploration of her loose hair they'd started earlier. He wanted to ask what had brought this on tonight, what had made her seek him out, but there was no need to question fate just yet. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, one hand lazily moving around her back. The thoughts rushing through his head contradicted all his past experiences; rather than hoping Leia would leave, he just wanted to hold her tighter and stay next to her all night.

As if reading his mind, she asked, "You still want me to stay?"

"'Course I do," he grumbled. "Can't let you just walk back to your bunk at this hour. It'll ruin your reputation." Her blush was as bright as a beacon. "Stay, Leia," he repeated, more gently this time.

Realizing that they were dangerously close to falling asleep in this post-coital position, Han propped himself up on his elbow. "I'm gonna take a shower," he told her with a scandalous smirk. "Wanna join me?"

"Okay," she replied slyly. "I guess this whole thing is kind of… messy."

Han laughed. "C'mon, Princess," he said as he lifted himself from the bed and grabbed her hand. "You can wash my back."


	3. Chapter 3

Leia woke with a start the next morning. Not with a nightmare or the chrono's alarm, but just a distinct _feeling_ that something wasn't right. She opened her eyes slowly, and almost laughed as the memories of the previous night flooded back to her. Of course; she wasn't in her freezing bunk at all, but in the climate-controlled _Millennium Falcon_ , in Han Solo's arms, where she'd slept the entire night without a bad dream.

" _You feel so good, baby."_

" _It's okay, Han. Fuck me."_

All of these things-sensations, memories-were completely foreign to her. Also new to her was the feeling of being almost entirely naked in bed, with the exception of her Alliance briefs. She vaguely remembered picking her tank top off the floor last night before tossing it aside again at Han's request.

" _Nuh-uh. Come 'ere, I wanna feel you while I'm sleepin'."_

She sat up and pulled the sheets to her shoulders, suddenly feeling shy. She was completely overwhelmed by the rush of feelings, which was reasonable considering how long she'd fought to deny herself _any_ emotion. _What happens now?_

The fact that she didn't have an answer made her chest tighten up. She let out a strangled breath and ran her hands through her hair, feeling how silky smooth and clean it was.

" _Don't be shy, sweetheart, I've already seen it. Come on, the water's real nice. I'll wash your hair."_

Next to her, Han stirred and slowly opened his eyes. When he saw Leia sitting next to him, a grin broke out across his face. "Hey," he said softly, clearing his throat.

"Hi," she offered in a strangled voice. His arm tightened around her waist, making her feel constricted. Then a panicked thought raced into her mind: _Get out._ "Um, I should go," she added. _I can't deal with this yet._

She'd thought maybe she was doing him a favor, but Han actually looked disappointed. "So early? I was gonna make breakfast." He tried to pull Leia in for a kiss and found her rigid, clutching the sheets to her chest.

"No, you don't have to. I'll get out of your way," she told him.

Han's heart broke a little bit. Even after what happened, she _still_ wouldn't let herself face her feelings. Then again, was he any better? He'd shown Leia plenty of physical affection, but hadn't used many words. _Someone's gotta say it, Solo, might as well be you_ , he told himself, bracing for an unfamiliar display of emotion.

"Okay," he sighed, sitting up next to her. "Leia, let's not do this."

"Do what?" she asked, her tone sharp.

"This-this!" he replied, motioning to her. "I don't want to go back to how things were before last night. Fightin' all the time, yellin' at each other." He drew a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "I like you," he murmured, pressing his lips to her shoulder. "A lot. I think you know that." He flashed her a wicked grin. "And I think you like me, too."

Leia blushed furiously, but softened a bit. "Maybe," she answered.

"And maybe it scares you a little?" he asked.

She stared back at him, taking what felt like an eternity to answer, and when she did it was barely audible. "Maybe."

"Well, that makes two of us, sweetheart," he confessed. "So you might as well stay."

He watched her body relax, her arms falling to her side. Hoping to make her feel better, he took one of her hands in his and brought it up to his lips, kissing it gently. "Okay," she finally said.

She let him pull her back down on the bed so they were lying face to face. Han's smile only got bigger as he pulled the blankets away from her and draped an arm around her waist, running his fingers in light circles on her back. "I can't believe this isn't a dream," he admitted sheepishly.

"It's a bit surreal," Leia agreed.

"So I guess this means I was right," he added smugly. Upon seeing her questioning look, he continued, "All those times you got mad at me 'cause I flirted with you-"

"That was _flirting_?" Leia interrupted.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" He grinned, motioning to the two of them. "And you denied having feelings for me all this time."

"I can still leave, you know," she responded in a dry tone.

Ready to accept that challenge, Han shook his head and kissed her neck before moving on to her lips. He kissed the smile off her face as their pairing grew more intense, her hands working their way through his hair as he moved over her. Slowly, he made his way down to her breasts and lavished them with attention, while his hand stroked lower. Her moans spurned him on, and before long he had other ideas.

He peppered her flat stomach with kisses before positioning himself between her legs, placing them over his shoulders. She looked at him curiously and then flung her head back onto the pillow as his tongue got to work, tasting her in the most intimate of ways. Her strangled cries got louder as she dug her heels into his back, grabbing hold of his hair to steady herself. "Gods, Han," she groaned, incapable of full sentences.

Continuing to use his tongue, he inserted two fingers as well, and the different sensations were too much for Leia. She felt completely out of control, and it was scary, but _so good_. There was no going back, she knew, now that Han had seen her at her most vulnerable and known her in such an intimate way. And in that moment, she didn't particularly care.

This feeling was so different than the mild satisfaction and emotional release of the night before. She felt wild, completely out of control, equal parts wanting to stop it and keep it going as long as possible. As Leia reached her peak, her strangled noises became yells, and she pulled a pillow over her face to muffle the sounds. Han backed away slowly, kissing her thighs as he let her come down from her climax before making his way up her body to retake his place next to her.

They just looked at each other, Han sporting that wicked half-grin she knew so well. "I haven't even had caf yet," she finally exclaimed breathlessly.

Han couldn't help himself and burst out laughing, and she joined him. "You are something else, Princess," he said, kissing her forehead.

* * *

By the time Han finished making breakfast, Leia was showered and back in her thermal snowsuit, her hair in its usual elaborate formation of braids. They sat at the game table, caf in hand, enjoying a hash of various eggs, vegetables, and starches that happened to be stocked-simple, but delicious, worlds better than the ration bars she choked down when she bothered eating breakfast at all.

"So what happens now?" she asked quietly as they finished their meal.

Han chuckled. "I dunno. This is new to me."

"What, having a woman actually spend the whole night?" Leia teased.

"No, courting a princess," he replied snappily.

She blushed. "Courting, huh?"

"Well, yeah," he responded. "I mean, I hope… I want to keep seeing you."

"Me too," she whispered, her blush a furious pink now. Leia suddenly became focused on her cup of caf, while Han couldn't help admire this side of her for the hundredth time since last night. He wished he could take her off-world for the night, get away from Echo Base, but he knew they'd have a hard time explaining their sudden departure _together_ to flight control.

"Hey, I have an idea," he said. "Come by after work today, I'll make a nice dinner, we can watch a holo or something."

"Like a _date_?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah, like a date. What, you think I can't be a gentleman?" Han teased.

She shook her head. "You're full of surprises, flyboy." She finished her cup of caf quietly, retreating deep into her thoughts. As Han stood to gather the plates, Leia said, "Hey… Han?" He looked at her, and she continued, "Can we just keep this between us for now?"

"Oh. Uh, yeah, sure, I get it. Wouldn't want anyone to know you're with me." He had meant for it to sound like it was joking, but the statement came out with a harsh edge. Feeling sheepish, he headed for the galley.

"It's not that at all," she insisted, getting up to follow him.

"Well, I wasn't gonna go all around base telling everyone what you're like in bed, if that's what you're worried about, Highnessness."

"That's not it either. Stop being impossible." She sighed and leaned against the counter. "I… don't have many secrets. My life has always been public. Everyone knows about me, where I'm from... the worst moments of my life." Leia looked up at him, forcing him to meet her gaze. "I want something that's just… mine."

After a moment, his face lit up in a smirk. "Okay, sweetheart," he said softly. "I'm yours."

* * *

Leia managed to make her way back to her bunk without drawing attention, even though the rest of the base was stirring. After changing into a clean snowsuit, she took a moment to examine herself in the small reflector in her room. _I don't look any different_ , she thought wistfully, staring at her brown-eyed mirror image. _But I am_.

She went about the rest of her day trying her best to focus, but inevitably her thoughts kept returning to Han. She also found the idea of her secret thrilling. _I slept with Han_ , she thought to herself with a smile when she tuned out during a meeting. _I like Han._

"Like" seemed an inadequate word for exactly what she was feeling; it was childish, simple. In reality, things were much more complicated than that. Despite their constant bickering, she'd considered him a close friend for the past three years, and had always been there for her when she really needed him. _Don't overthink it, Leia_ , she scolded herself. _It's way too soon for that other L-word_.

"You okay?" Luke asked, snapping her back to reality. They were having a late lunch together in the mess hall; Leia was merely picking at her food, knowing whatever Han would be making her for dinner would be much more palatable.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied quickly. "Sorry. Guess I'm just distracted."

"Is it about those medical supplies?" he queried. A shipment of equipment and medicine had been intercepted on its way to Hoth, leaving their medbay worryingly understocked. "We'll find another source."

"Oh… yes, of course," she hastily agreed. "It's just disappointing that the mission failed."

Luke looked at her curiously, and Leia had an uncomfortable feeling that he could see right through her. Was he using his Jedi skills to read her mind? In reality, he was the one person Leia would've liked to share her secret with; Luke was the closest thing she had to family in the galaxy. But he was also Han's best friend, and she had no idea how he'd react to his former crush and the infamous smuggler as a couple.

"You promise nothing else is going on?" he asked. "You're okay?"

Leia exhaled and smiled, answering honestly, "I'm okay. I'm better than okay."

He smiled, instantly going from the serious Jedi to the sweet farmboy. "Good. Are you gonna finish eating that? I'm starving."

"Be my guest," she responded, pushing her tray towards him.

* * *

" _She's coming back here again?"_

Chewbacca had instantly guessed what had gone on between Han and Leia the night before; he only slept down the hall, after all. The Wookie had made it a point to stay in his bunk that morning while the two of them had breakfast, not wanting to intrude, but afterwards he'd confronted Han about it. It was no surprise to him that Han had feelings for the little princess; he'd known that for years. Chewie just wanted to make sure his pilot wasn't going to hurt her.

"Yes, Chewie, she's coming back," Han replied tersely, slamming the panel door shut and covering the exposed wires he'd been fixing. "And she'll probably be here a lot, 'cause we're seeing each other, so don't make her feel unwelcome, okay?"

Chewie let out a guffaw. " _You've got it so bad."_

"Shut up." He wiped some sweat off his brow; an afternoon of repairs on the _Falcon_ had been taxing.

" _I hope you're planning to shower before she gets here. You smell like that trash compactor."_

"You should talk, you big furball!" Han snapped. "Why are you givin' me such a hard time about this? You've been teasin' me about Leia for almost three years. I thought you _liked_ her."

" _I do like her, cub,"_ Chewie replied, with no trace of his previous laughter. " _And I like the two of you together. I just worry. I know how you are with women."_

Han let out a sigh. "I don't have the best track record," he admitted. "But it's different this time." A pause. "At least, it feels different."

Chewbacca looked at the man he affectionately called "cub" with awe. He never thought he'd see the day when Han Solo would get flustered over a woman-until the day they wound up on the _Death Star_. Since then, he'd watched Han follow her around, spouting innuendos and picking fights, and he knew exactly what it meant. He'd just hoped Han would be able to figure it out for himself.

"Sith, is it really that late already?" Han spat, checking the time on his comm.

" _Go get ready. I'll finish up here,_ " Chewie insisted.

"You sure?"

The Wookiee grinned. " _It's not every day your cub goes on his first big date."_

Han rolled his eyes and groaned, shaking his head as he walked up the corridor towards his bunk.

* * *

Dinner was quiet, at least at first. Han had gone all out: nerf steaks, fresh produce, a bottle of pretty decent wine. It was better than anything Leia had eaten in ages, and she couldn't stop telling him.

"You're such a good cook," she repeated for the last time as she used a piece of bread to wipe up the leftover gravy on her plate. "How did you do this?"

Han shrugged. "I know it doesn't look like much, but that galley -" he jerked his thumb over to the heating unit, cooler, and narrow counter space across the corridor - "does all right."

She shook her head as she swallowed the last of her dinner. "Well, I appreciate it. Um, thank you. Again."

They avoided each other's stares awkwardly for a few moments, and then Han broke the ice by letting out a laugh. "What's so funny?" she asked, her shields going up.

"Nothin'. Well, you," he drawled, flashing her a smile. "This. Us." He placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer, and silently sighed with relief when she softened against him. "I thought about this for so long," he muttered, startled at his own confession.

Leia matched his smile. "I think… I did too. I just didn't want to admit it."

He turned to the side and kissed her temple, an easy move because of their height difference, before tipping her chin towards him to look her in the eyes. "Is that why you came here last night?"

 _Truth time, Leia_. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "I… knew it might be a possibility. But mostly I was just thinking about…" She pulled back and looked away from him.

"Nuh-uh, highnessness. Thought we said we weren't gonna play that game anymore," Han responded seriously.

She nodded, knowing Han had already been more than forthcoming with his own feelings. "I was thinking about… how I always feel better with you," she whispered. "I just needed to feel that last night."

His gaze was too intense suddenly, and without really thinking it through, Leia gave him a shove. "Stop looking at me like that!" she protested.

Han chuckled. "I ain't gonna stop now, sweetheart," he promised.

"You really think we can do this?" she asked. "Act like… normal people who… care for each other?" Leia looked up at Han expectantly.

"We're never gonna be _normal_ , sweetheart. You're a princess. You lead the Alliance. I'm a smuggler and all I got to my name is this ship. We live in an ice cube and we both have bounties on our heads." He grinned at her as he listed out their current situation. "But bein' with you, it's, ah… it feels good. Like we shoulda been doin' it all along." He dropped a soft kiss on her lips, stroking her face. "I can't promise you normal. But I still wanna be with you."

"Even though I'm a repressed Ice Queen who's always yelling at you?" Leia shot back with an arch of the eyebrow. It was a comment he'd made during a particularly volatile fight the week before.

"Hey, don't forget," Han rumbled in a deep voice, his lips moving closer to her ear, "I know you're not repressed. I've felt every inch of you, and there's nothing _icy_ about you."

Leia felt her cheeks turning red and wished she could get that childish response under control. "Is that so?"

"Mmmhmm," he sighed, responding to her challenge by running his fingers through her hair. "You need a reminder?"

She smiled, pushing her plate away and leaning towards him. "You're such a scoundrel," she purred.

"You like scoundrels."

"I guess I do."


	4. Chapter 4

Leia's second post-coital morning on the _Millennium Falcon_ began much more calmly than the first. Instead of waking in a panic, she focused on the sensations of being held, how warm Han felt against her body, before finally opening her eyes. He looked so innocent in sleep, and Leia regretted having to pull herself away to get ready for another day of base activities.

The movement disturbed Han, and he grunted, reaching out for her before opening his own eyes. "Runnin' out on me, Princess?" he asked sleepily.

"I have a meeting," she told him apologetically. "And a double shift in the command center. I have to get back to my bunk to change."

"Well, lemme make you some caf, a'least," Han grumbled, pushing back the covers. "Grab a shower, I'll meet you in the lounge."

While she took advantage of Han's shower- _real hot water!_ -she couldn't help but wonder if it was always like this. It was day two… or three?... of their budding relationship, but it already felt strangely domestic. Leia wished she had more experience to draw on; her relationships on Alderaan had been mostly innocent, and the one with a chance of becoming serious had ended badly when she was just 16. She couldn't help but wonder if Han was like this with every woman, or if she was just...

As promised, he was waiting for her at the Dejarik table with fresh caf and a ration bar. "Figured you didn't have time for me to cook," Han told her apologetically, "but you gotta eat something today."

"Thanks," she replied shyly. "I appreciate it. Your caf is so much better than the instant stuff they serve in the mess."

"Oh, is that why you come here?" he asked with a smirk, a hint of teasing in his voice. "The caf?"

"Not only that. You're also a pretty decent cook."

That remark earned her some tickling fingers to the ribs, and she pulled away from the Dejarik table shrieking with laughter. She gulped down the rest of her caf and set her mug down. "Gods, that's good. Wish I had time for more."

"Well, bring a change of clothes when you come back tonight," he suggested. "That way you don't gotta sneak out of here so early."

A silence hung in the air for a moment as they stared at each other, contemplating a third night in a row together. "Tonight?" Leia finally asked.

"Well, yeah. If you want." Han's voice was suddenly gruff, guarded, and Leia thought she understood why.

"I do, actually," she murmured. "I'm just surprised you're not sick of me yet."

Pushing away from the table, Han stood next to her, towering over her. "If that was gonna happen, it probably would'a been years ago, sweetheart," he replied in a low voice close to her ear. "So, whaddaya say?"

"It'll be late," she replied, thinking of the 12-hour shift ahead and groaning internally. When she had signed up for these shifts, she spent all of her free time working to avoid being alone in her bunk… but now she had something else to occupy her time.

"I'll leave the ramp down," he promised before kissing her softly. "You better get going. People will talk if Her Royal Highness is late to a meeting."

 _Is this what they call a walk of shame?_ she asked herself en route to her quarters in yesterday's outfit. _Good thing all these snowsuits look the same._

She took Han up on his offer and began stowing changes of clothes, toiletries, and personal items aboard the _Falcon_. Han was surprised to find he didn't mind at all, her being there at the end of a long day, finding her datapad after she left in the morning, the bathroom smelling like her soap. The idea of the princess making herself at home in that ship was certainly appealing, something he never would have thought possible. And Chewie enjoyed having Leia there as well; she'd been picking up more Shryiiwook, and they had become even closer friends.

Han and Leia's relationship, still not formally defined, was anything but conventional. Most of their time together was spent in the safety and privacy of the _Falcon_ , away from prying eyes. In public, they were still just friends, occasionally sniping out of habit but never as aggressively as they had before; more than once, the public banter led to intense make-out sessions in her office.

Leia kept wondering when the buzz of seeing Han-and her own newfound sexual awakening-would wear off, but it hadn't come close yet. She still rushed to his ship just about every night after her work was done for the day, looking around out of habit but caring less and less who saw her. Part of her was worried that Han would grow tired of her constant company, but so far, he'd met her at the ramp with a smile nearly every night.

Luke still didn't know, a thought that pained her; she and Han were still keeping such a big secret from a good friend, and it didn't seem right. "We should tell him," she insisted softly one night as they shared a drink following a particularly trying day on the base.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Han asked, taking a long sip of brandy. "You know I think we shoulda told him when this whole thing started."

"I know, I know," Leia sighed. "I just don't know _how_. I mean, what do you say in this situation? 'Luke, Han and I are-'"

"Fucking," he supplied unhelpfully with a smile.

She shot him a dark look. "Oh, is that all this is?"

"You know it's not," Han replied, a little exasperated.

She sighed again. "We'll figure it out," she said, talking more to herself than Han. She took a sip of his brandy and made a face; it wasn't her drink, but he was out of those Corellian stouts she liked so much and there wasn't much else on board.

"I'll pick up more stuff next time I'm out," he stated, as if reading her mind. "I got that supply run coming up."

"Oh... right," Leia said, trying her best to sound nonchalant. She'd forgotten Han would be off-world for a few days, and her heart sank at the prospect of not being able to feel this kind of warmth during that time. "Well. I suppose we'd better make the most of this time, then."

Han stared at her intensely before gulping down the rest of his drink. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I plan to," he promised, before taking her hand and leading her to his bunk.

* * *

Leia awoke with a start the next morning, well aware that she felt a little _too_ rested. Glancing at the chrono on a nearby shelf, she exclaimed, "We overslept!"

Han stirred next to her, tightening her arms around his waist. "Uh-unnhhh," he argued sleepily. "Go back to sleep, Leia."

"I have a meeting with High Command in 20 minutes," she argued. "Kest, did I forget to set an alarm?"

"I turned it off," he grumbled. "You needed to sleep."

She'd had a nightmare, a bad one; one that had brought her back to the _Death Star_ and caused her to wake up shaking and crying. It was the first time she'd had one in Han's bed, miraculously, and it added a level of mortification on top of the usual despair and anxiety. He took it in stride, coaxing her back to sleep as he held her, telling her it was okay and kissing her gently, but it had taken some time and she'd gone to bed late as it was, due to other activities keeping them up. He figured she could stand to miss a meeting, she had so damn many of them.

" _Haaaan_ ," she sighed.

Han had, apparently, fallen back asleep, and as his arms loosened around her, Leia slipped out of bed and into the fresher. She gave a silent prayer of thanks that she a change of clothes onboard as she waited impatiently for the water shower to heat up.

By the time she reached her meeting, she was 20 minutes late and out of breath. "I'm sorry," she gasped upon seeing the surprised looks of her colleagues. "The South Passage was blocked off."

"Good Heavens, can we go a week without a cave-in around here?" Mon Mothma replied. "What were you doing over there? It's barely 0800."

"I... had some business to attend to in the hangar," Leia said feebly. Rieekan turned to her, giving her a sharp look, and Leia ducked her head, blushing.

"At this hour?" he asked gently. "You're working too hard, princess."

"Let's get back to the Ord Mantell mission," General Dodonna gruffly insisted, apparently missing the teasing tone in Rieekan's voice. "Is the intelligence trustworthy?"

"It comes from one of our most trusted operatives in the field," Mothma replied. "I didn't want to take any chances after the last attempt failed. If all goes well, we'll be able to restock our dwindling medical supplies while gaining a new source of help for the Alliance-isn't that right, Leia?"

"Of course, Chancellor," Leia replied instantly. "We're ready to depart at any time. The shipment of bacta could do wonders for our troops in upcoming battles, and touching base with this contact will prove useful in the future."

"Has Captain Solo signed on for this mission yet?" Dodonna asked. "His experience in that sort of… seedy… environment would surely prove useful."

"Not officially, but I'm sure he'll agree to it," Leia replied, biting down the smile that threatened to play on her lips. "We can leave once he's back from this week's supply run, assuming his ship hasn't fallen apart once again."

"So it'll be you, Solo, Skywalker, and the Wookiee," Rieekan chimed in. "Are you sure the _Falcon_ is big enough to transport the medical supplies?"

"We'll make it work," Leia insisted. "The cargo holds on the _Millennium Falcon_ are deceptively spacious, and if need be, we can use the guest cabin." She realized her error in mentioning the sleeping arrangements a nanosecond late, coughing to cover up the gasp she nearly let out. "I mean, Luke can always bunk with Han, and I'll sleep in the medbunk if necessary," she clarified. Leia felt Rieekan's eyes burning into her, and she silently cursed herself for being so careless.

The meeting adjourned a short time later, the Ord Mantell mission officially approved and Leia tasked with informing Han, Luke, and Chewie. _I'm sure I can manage that,_ she thought playfully as she exited the room.

Leia was surprised to find General Rieekan waiting for her in the chilly hallway. "Princess," he requested softly, "a minute?"

She followed him to his makeshift office, a room carved out of ice with a messy desk. "Is there something you want to tell me, Leia?" Rieekan asked once they were alone.

An eyebrow raised, Leia asked sharply, "Why do I get the feeling you already know?"

Rieekan sighed. "Lelila, I'm not trying to take the place of your father," he promised. "But I can't help notice these things. Like how you've been approaching these meetings from the south, not the north, where your quarters are."

Leia closed her eyes and weighed her options. She could lie; she was fairly certain that Carlist couldn't prove anything. But then she realized she didn't want to-what was she hiding from, anyway?

"I was in the hangar," she began softly, "because I've been staying with Han. We're… together." Her cheeks flushed, and she stared at the snowy floor intensely.

Carlist leaned back in his chair, an amused look on his face. "Ah," he responded softly. "Well, it's about time."

"I'm surprised by your… lack of surprise," Leia admitted.

"Lelila, I've been a young man in love before, so it was obvious to me that Solo has had feelings for you since he plucked you off the _Death Star_. I know he tries to be the stone-hearted mercenary, but you don't volunteer for missions without pay if you're only in it for the money."

Her jaw dropped. "He… hasn't been getting paid?"

Rieekan shook his head. "We've had very little budget for independent contractors since setting up on Hoth. I told Han that, expecting him to leave, and he said he'd still go on your missions in exchange for being able to house that disaster of a ship of his in our hangar. He obviously just wanted to protect you."

"I wondered why we were always assigned together," she said softly. "That arrogant son of a… 'Without me you'll all get yourselves killed, Your Worship,'" she imitated his gruff voice.

The general laughed heartily. "Yes, that sounds just like him."

"Aren't you going to lecture me on my romantic choices?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Goodness, no," he chuckled. "I trust you to make your own decisions. And I trust Han with you. Although it doesn't hurt knowing the entire base would run him out of the system if he ever stepped out of line." Leia smiled and buried her face in her palm. "And you're entitled to your personal life, as well. I just wanted to warn you to be discreet."

"No one knows," she sighed. "Well, Chewbacca. But no one in the Alliance, not even Luke."

"I'm not worried about Chewie or Luke," he replied. "I'm more concerned about Dodonna and some other members of High Command. You have to understand, Lelila, they mean well, but some of them can't help but see you as Bail's little girl on Alderaan." At this, Leia rolled her eyes. "And if there's any appearance of impropriety and special treatment, it could sow discord among our ranks."

"I'll be careful," Leia promised. She also had no desire to talk to the rest of High Command about her relationship with Han.

He nodded. "You always are."

Leia bit her lip, hesitating a moment before asking, "What would Father have said?"

Rieekan grimaced, unprepared for how to respond. His own children, destroyed with Alderaan, had never gotten the chance to experience young love, and he certainly didn't want to attempt to channel Bail Organa to counsel Leia. Nonetheless, he thought he knew what she was really asking. "I think Bail would have seen the good in Han," he answered softly. "Same as you have. And I have." Carlist sighed, feeling weary. "As far as him approving of this relationship, I think he just would have wanted to know that you are happy, safe, and cared for. Are you?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"Then I think, eventually, he would have given you his blessing. Not that you've ever needed anyone's permission."

"It's funny, I never thought I would seek out my father's approval about personal relationships," Leia explained. "I didn't want any political alliances and I rejected suitors from neighboring kingdoms. But now that he's gone…" She shrugged. "I just miss him. And Mother. I wish they were here."

"Me too," Carlist admitted sadly. "We shoulder an unimaginable loss, you and I," he said to her. "If there is anything in this galaxy that helps ease the burden, I think you deserve to have it."

Leia nodded and thanked him with her voice thick and tears in her eyes.

* * *

"Whaddya mean, Rieekan knows?"

They were in bed in the _Falcon_ , half-dressed, when Leia had shared what happened in her High Command meeting earlier that day. "It's fine, Han," she insisted. "He's not… opposed."

"That guy's practically your dad now," Han whined. "Do I need to talk to him about this?"

"Not specifically!" she insisted. "Gods, that sounds awkward."

"So I don't gotta ask his permission or anything?"

"To do what?" she asked incredulously, motioning to the two of them-Han in his briefs, she in the oversized shirt of his she'd taken to sleeping in. "This?"

"I told ya I don't know what to do with princesses," he grumbled.

She placed one hand on his cheek and pulled his face to her so she could meet his eyes. "Han. I'm not property. And I'm not a child. You don't need anyone's approval or permission to…" Leia grinned wickedly. "Have your way with me."

"You keep talkin' like that, Highnessness," he murmured in a sultry voice, "and I'm not gonna be able to control myself."

"That was my plan," she replied before Han's lips descended upon her own. A minute or so later, they finally pulled apart for air, and Leia finally added, "That reminds me. I'm supposed to ask you to pilot us to Ord Mantell."

"Oh, really?" Han asked, eyebrow raised. "And what makes you think I'll do it just 'cause you're asking? I don't come cheap, Your Highness."

She frowned, but the gleam in Han's eye let her know he was just teasing. "I'll make it worth your while, _Captain_ ," she purred, climbing over him.

"I bet you will," he challenged.

She kissed her way down his chest, trying to convey confidence despite how nervous she actually was. When she reached the waistband of his briefs, she looked him in the eye as she pulled them down; he helped her kick them aside and she wrapped her hand around his hardness. "Now let's discuss that payment," Leia stated as she stroked up and down.

"S-sweetheart," Han choked out.

Empowered by the look on his face and his helpless cries, Leia took him in her mouth, moving her tongue over the tip as she worked her hand up and down the shaft. It was her first time, but with every other first that had occurred in this bunk, she was determined to do it well. In a timepart, Han was reduced to grunts and groans, his hands wandering into her messy hair to pull it even further out of its arrangement. "Leia, it's-oh gods-" he finally choked out, and she handled the messiest part of the endeavor with less trouble than she'd imagined.

As he caught his breath, she kissed her way back up his body, burying her face in his shoulder. "What was that?" he finally asked, tipping her chin towards his face.

"Um… didn't you like it?" Leia asked innocently.

"Didn't I-" He burst out laughing and threw an arm around her, pulling her into his side before kissing the top of her head through the mess of hair. "You're amazing, Princess," he murmured.

She suddenly remembered their earlier conversation, spitting out, "That wasn't really-if you don't want to take the Ord Mantell contract, that's okay-"

Han interrupted her with a kiss, smiling wickedly. "Already told Rieekan I'd do it," he replied smugly, dodging as she whipped a pillow at him.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: I'm sorry these updates are so sporadic! It's been a rough month, but I'll try to be more consistent._

* * *

The next morning was hectic, as Leia rushed back to her quarters attempting to be discreet before rebels started pouring into the hangar to talk to Han before his supply run. It was usually the Rogues who asked for special favors, typically of the boozy variety; however, she'd once seen Rieekan talking with him before one of these trips, and upon Han's return days later he'd greeted the general with a fine bottle of Alderaanian wine.

A packed schedule kept her from thinking about him that day, but it was when she returned to her quarters she felt a sort of loneliness sink in. Leia hadn't slept in the frigid room in weeks, and frankly, hadn't missed it. As she sat on the cot and pulled off her boots, the conversation from that morning replayed in her head.

" _What time are you leaving?"_

" _Oh-eight-hundred. Gotta check in with Rieekan first though," he groaned. It was early, so early._

" _I should get going then," she replied._

 _He pulled her in for one last kiss, a slow, deep embrace. When they finally parted, she looked up at him curiously._

" _Somethin' to remember me by," he said with a smirk._

 _The words_ I'll miss you _were on the tip of her tongue, but she bit them back. "Be careful," she offered instead before exiting the_ Falcon _._

"It's only a few days," she told herself. "Get it together. You've been alone for years."

Somehow, that poor excuse for a pep talk didn't make her feel any better, and it was a long time before a cold, broken sleep found her that night.

* * *

When Han pulled back into the hangar days later, several time parts ahead of schedule and cargo bays full of supplies, he hoped to see a petite princess waiting for him in the bay.

Chewie had teased him relentlessly about his rush to get back to base. " _Are you missing your little princess, cub?"_

"Shut up, furball," Han had replied. "It ain't like that. I just wanna get back before anyone spots the ship and tries to cash in on this price on my head."

" _It wouldn't kill you to admit that you want to see her_ ," he offered sagely. " _There's no shame in it. I miss Malla constantly."_

"Yeah, but that's your _wife_ ," Han sneered. "Leia's…"

Han suddenly realized he had no idea how to complete that statement, but thankfully, the proximity alarm had sounded at that moment and landing preparations were underway seconds later.

Now they were back, and there was no princess in the hangar, just a handful of Rogues and a Jedi in training. Han greeted them with a smile, though inside he was a bit disappointed.

"Glad to see you back, Solo! Sabacc tonight?" Wedge asked enthusiastically. Traditionally, they gathered on the _Falcon_ when Han stocked up on supplies and made a night of it.

"Ah, not tonight, guys. I gotta go check in, give the brass the inventory report." Han rolled his eyes and made his way past the group, hoping to run into Leia near the High Command offices.

"Looking for Leia?" Luke teased, walking briskly alongside him.

"Don't know what you're talkin' about, kid," he grumbled.

Luke smirked knowingly. "Sure. She's probably in the command center. Working around the clock since you left."

"Whatever, Luke."

Han shook off the nagging feeling that Luke knew more than he should and headed straight for the command center anyway. Rieekan was there, which made debriefing easy, but a certain dark-haired princess was conspicuously missing. An hour later, he still hadn't seen her-not in her office, not in her bunk, not in any of the usual spots around base. He tried to ignore the tug in his chest and what it meant: _disappointment_. He'd learned a long time ago that forgoing attachments and expectations was a good way to make sure no one ever let you down, but he hadn't figured a mouthy little diplomat into that equation.

Han climbed the ramp to the _Falcon_ and, feeling defeated, input the code to close it up for the night behind him. He made a quick stop at the galley to pour himself a glass of whiskey before heading into his bunkroom.

The sight in front of him nearly made him drop his glass. There was Leia, in his bed, covers just covering her bare breasts and giving him a teasing view of her presumably naked body. Her hair was down, tumbling over her back and shoulders enticingly. In one hand she held a Corellian stout, fresh from the cooler; when she made eye contact with him, her cheeks turned pink.

"Hi," she offered shyly.

Han cleared his throat, taking a few seconds to respond. "I, ah, got more of those spicy drinks you like," he said lamely.

She smiled and tipped her drink towards him. "I noticed. Thank you."

Still feeling dazed, Han took a few steps towards the bed, then tossed his jacket aside and pulled off his boots. He laid down next to her, on top of the sheets, and gulped down the rest of his whiskey before placing the empty glass in the recessed shelf above the bed.

 _I love you_. The thought rushed through his head, uncensored, before he had time to fight it. _Fuck. I love you._

"What are you smiling at?" Leia asked, taking a sip of her own drink.

"Just happy to see you, Your Worship," he replied in his practiced drawl. He took the bottle from her hand and it joined the glass on the shelf. Then he kissed her without reservation, loving the taste of the spicy beverage on her tongue. "Gods, I missed you," he growled against her cheek when they finally broke apart.

She pulled back, staring him down, trying to evaluate that statement and the look on his face. "I missed you too," she finally admittedly softly.

"I could tell," Han replied with a grin. "I take it you don't often show up naked in random beds on base."

"Oh, no, I do it all the time," she replied coolly. "Great for morale."

He shook his head, pulling his shirt off and tossing it aside. "You trying to make me jealous, sweetheart?" he asked. "'Cause I'm pretty sure you don't scream for the other guys on base the way you do for me."

Leia's face turned bright red. "I do not _scream_."

"Don't be embarrassed, sweetheart," Han mumbled against her neck. "I love it. Makes me crazy."

"Prove it," she whispered, eyes fierce despite her obvious nervousness.

Han's jaw nearly dropped at the challenge, but after a moment his brain caught up and he divested himself of the rest of his clothing and slid under the covers, finding that Leia was indeed completely bare. He ran his fingers gently up her thigh before teasing her core. "Hmm, you really did miss me," he murmured, using his fingers skillfully.

Leia shifted flat onto her back, spreading her legs apart to give him better access. "Mmmhmm," she sighed, head falling back onto the pillow.

"Say it," Han demanded fiercely as his fingers stroked harder. "Tell me."

"I missed you," Leia said, louder this time. "I missed you, I missed-oh, gods!"

As she peaked, Han lavished her breasts with his tongue, taking his time to explore that skin he'd been dreaming about. Giving her a few moments to recover, he positioned himself between her legs and pushed in. The mutual groan they shared reminded him exactly what he'd been missing, and he bit her shoulder to keep from crying out the things he knew he should keep to himself. _Min larel, Leia, my love, oh gods._ It had never been like this with any other woman, this connection they shared; Han knew he was in over his head, but with Leia's voice rising as she slipped deeper into rapture, he couldn't do anything but smile.

Some time later, they were sipping their respective drinks and catching their breaths, sneaking shy smiles at each other. "Damn, Princess," he finally said. "You sure know how to welcome a guy home."

"Yes, well," Leia started, nervous about the words that were about to tumble out of her mouth and falling back on sarcasm. "None of my other scoundrels happened to be available."

Han chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Leia," he started, his eyes suddenly intense.

For several seconds, they simply stared at each other, eyes locked. "What?" she finally asked, desperately curious but somehow a little afraid.

 _Not now. Not the right time._ "Let's get some sleep," Han conceded gently, placing his glass aside and lying back on his pillow. "Been a long day."

Leia wasn't entirely sure if she was relieved or disappointed, but she nodded anyway, swallowing the last of her drink. After putting the bottle aside, she snuggled her way into Han's embrace, and he tightened his arms around her. _Love you_ , Han thought to himself as he drifted off.

Next to his sleeping form, Leia whispered, "I'm glad you're back."

* * *

It was a miracle of sorts that they realized their schedules were free the following day: no meetings or shifts for Leia, due partially to the rest of High Command insisting she take a day off; no training sessions with the Rogues or offworld supply runs for Han; no reason to leave the _Millennium Falcon_ for either of them. They'd spent most of the day in bed, talking and napping and teasing and fucking as desired, and Leia realized it was the most relaxed and content she'd been since the last time she was on Alderaan.

"I can't wait to get you off this ice rock," Han murmured into her ear. "Get all dressed up and go for a night on the town on Ord Mantell."

"That sounds lovely," Leia sighed. "I'm not sure how much time we'll have-"

"We'll get the mission completed, Highnessness, don't worry," he promised, kissing her nose. "With enough time left over for me to treat you like a real princess."

She curled into his chest, letting out a pleased hum. "I don't need to be treated like a princess," she said lightly. "I just want to be with you." Suddenly worried that she'd said too much, she felt her face burning, and looked up at Han-only to see his cocky grin. "Shut up," Leia added.

"Make me," he challenged. She rolled her eyes but kissed him anyway. When they finally came apart for air, he cupped her face, murmuring, "You're my girl. Gonna show you how good I can treat you."

Leia's heart melted inside her chest. "Your girl, huh?" They both struggled so much to express their feelings and secretly derived pleasure from making the other spell it out.

"Well… yeah. Why? You got a harem on base?" Han asked. The twitch in his one-sided grin betrayed his nervousness about her answer.

"You're more than enough for me, flyboy," she answered casually. Deciding she'd tortured him enough, Leia continued, "It's only you, Han. I only want you."

He pulled her even closer, landing a kiss on her head atop the mess of hair. "Good."

"And you already treat me… good," she added, finding herself needing to look away from his intense eyes. "You don't have to do anything to impress me."

"Maybe I want to," he said with a smirk before kissing her again. "You hungry?" he asked when they finally pulled apart. "I picked up some fresh grub on that last supply run. I could make dinner."

"That sounds much better than the mess," Leia agreed.

"I'm just gonna hop in the shower first," he told her. "Be right back."

She wasn't in bed when he left the fresher. Han threw on a pair of bloodstripes, not bothering with a shirt, before heading out to find Leia. He cornered her at the cooling unit where she'd been drinking a bottle of asteria water, unable to resist her in one of his old shirts, her hair loose and feet bare. Wrapping his arms around her from behind, he kissed her neck gently, and she giggled.

"Hello, scoundrel," Leia teased before taking another sip. "I'm so thirsty."

"Me too," Han growled in a low voice, making Leia think his thirst had nothing to do with her beverage. Leia turned in his arms, meeting his lips with her own. How was it that neither of them had gotten tired of the other yet?

"Hey, Han!" a voice called out from the entrance ramp, interrupting the moment. They both turned their heads sharply in the direction of the call.

"Oh, no," Leia said softly. Han grimaced and glanced around. There was no way to hide, and running back to the bunk would only expose them. Leia seemed to have come to the same conclusion, and they exchanged a chagrined look. _Eh, it was bound to happen sooner or later_ , Han thought with a shrug.

The chipper voice grew louder with the sound of approaching footsteps. "Can you take a look at my X-Wing? Want to make sure it's-"

Luke stopped short at the sight in front of him: Han and Leia huddled together near the caf dispenser, with Leia in Han's shirt and nothing else while Han stood impossibly close to her, shirtless. For a few moments, they all stared at each other in silence. Belatedly, Leia took a wide step away from Han, and the smuggler rolled his eyes at her effort.

"Oh, so this _is_ happening," Luke finally deadpanned.

"I…" Leia started, then looked up at Han for help. He shrugged, looking just a bit too amused by the situation. "I'm going to put on… I'm going to get dressed." She slipped away without looking Luke in the eye, heading in the direction of Han's bunk.

"So, uh, what's going on, kid?" Han deflected in a shaky voice.

"I knew it," Luke replied triumphantly, a smile breaking out on his face. "I swear, the two of you… How long?"

Han shrugged again. "Few weeks."

"About time. You know if you hurt her, I'll kill you, right?"

"You can't kill me," Han challenged. "Jedi can't do that."

"Well," Luke responded, "I'll get the Rogues to kill you, then. And they'll do it."

"Don't worry, kid," the Corellian promised. "I, ah, I really… I'm not gonna… I don't wanna hurt her." Han ran his hands through his hair nervously.

Luke looked at him incredulously, his blue eyes shining with glee. "You're in love with her."

"Ssshh!" Han hissed. "Keep it down, all right?"

"You haven't told her?"

"Told me what?" Leia asked, entering the room in more appropriate clothing.

"Nothing, sweetheart," Han drawled. "The kid's just makin' sure my intentions are good."

Leia blushed, making her way over to the duo and shyly looking at the metal grating on the ground.

"You hungry, kid?" Han asked, breaking up the awkward interlude. "I was just about to start makin' dinner."

"Sure!" Luke replied. "Sounds much better than the mess."

Han shot him a look of disbelief at his identical answer, while Leia laughed softly. "I think that's your cue to get cooking, flyboy," she teased.

Relieved to have a way out of that conversation, Han nodded. "You two sit down and have a drink, I'll take care of the grub," he instructed.

A few minutes later, Luke and Leia were sitting at the Dejarik table with a couple of bottles of the Corellian spicy stout she was so fond of. "I'm sorry about today," Leia admitted, blushing. "I wanted to tell you, but..." She shrugged, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

"I get it. You play things pretty close to the vest," Luke said. "And I gotta say, I was surprised to see it in front of me, but I'm really not that shocked that you two are together."

 _Together_. Leia smiled; she liked the sound of that. "So we're okay?"

"As long as you're happy," the young Jedi responded, a genuine grin on his face. A second later, it was erased by a grimace. "Oh no, I'm going to be a third wheel on the Ord Mantell mission, aren't I?"

"Of course not!" Leia insisted. "Alliance business is… separate from my personal life. Besides, Chewie will be there too." She smiled at him. "It's actually a relief, having it all out in the open."

Luke took a sip of his stout, sputtered, and set it back down on the table. "Too spicy," he choked, and Leia passed him her glass of water, trying not to roll her eyes. After a few gulps, he asked, "Who else knows? Chewie's gotta, right?"

"Chewie knows, yes. And Rieekan guessed." She shrugged. "That's it. I wanted to keep it quiet while we… figure out what this is. The last thing I need is rumors and speculation all over the base."

"I hate to tell you this, Leia," Luke said with a raised eyebrow, "but you and Han have been the subject of rumors and speculation for _years_."

She sighed. "I suppose you're right. To be honest, I haven't been making as much of an effort to hide it. When Rieekan questioned me, I didn't even try to deny it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to go around base wearing a sash that says 'Property of Han Solo-'"

Luke gasped, nearly spitting out his water before choking it down. " _Property of Han Solo_?"

"You know what I mean! I don't know how to define it. I'm terrible at this."

"I like the sound of that," came a Corellian drawl. Han joined them at the table, putting his arm around Leia. "And mine'll say 'Property of Her High Holiness, The Royal Princess Leia Organa of-agh!"

He was cut off by a sharp elbow to his ribs. "Stop being obnoxious and make dinner," Leia ordered.

"It's cooking, Your Beautifulness. Jeez, kid, you'd think she only keeps me around for one reason." He smirked, looking pleased with himself before throwing Luke a wink. "Well, two reasons."

An identical red flush creeped into Luke's and Leia's faces before she buried her head in her hands.

The strangeness of it all faded over a good meal, and by the end of it they were chatting and joking together as if nothing was different, aside from the way Leia leaned into Han when she laughed and he intertwined his fingers with hers after they put their utensils down. When Luke finally said goodnight, Leia walked him to the boarding ramp so she could close up after him.

"You seem pretty comfortable on the _Falcon_ ," he observed. "Do you… live here?"

Leia shook her head wildly. "Of course not!"

"Aside from the last supply run, when's the last time you slept in your cabin?" Luke challenged with a grin. Leia's face turned red as she realized she had no idea how to answer that question. "Hey, I don't blame you. Some nights it's so cold on base, I think I'd sleep with Han for a warmer bed."

"Sorry, kid, you're not my type," Han drawled upon making a sudden appearance, his arms wrapping around Leia from behind as he kissed her temple. "But we do have a spare cabin if you ever want to crash."

"You guys are just…" Luke started, shaking his head.

"What?" Han asked defensively.

The Jedi turned to Leia and grinned. "So _cute_ ," he finished before disappearing down the ramp. Han grinned wildly, but Leia's expression was quite the opposite.

"We are not cute!" she shouted after him.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Han said as he let her go and entered the code to close up the _Falcon_. "But the kid's right. We are pretty cute."

Leia rolled her eyes and strolled towards the bunkroom, determined to settle this one without words.


	6. Chapter 6

Three days later, the foursome departed for Ord Mantell in a Corellian freshly restocked Corellian freighter. They left just before dinnertime, having planned the time difference and Han's jumpy route through hyperspace so that they would arrive well after darkness had fallen the following night. Though not as dangerous as traveling to a core planet such as Coruscant and its neighbors, Ord Mantell was still fairly threatening to the most wanted outlaws in the galaxy, and the group had to take precautions in order to meet with the Alliance contact without raising any alarms.

"We'll keep the _Falcon_ out of sight and take a speeder to the safe house," Leia reviewed with her team over dinner. All of the commodities, including the luxe apartment in the casino district that would serve as their quarters while on-planet. Leia's contact, a friend from her teenage years, had invested his family fortune in medical technology, multiplying his initial sum many times over; now he was willing to share his stores-and funds-with the Alliance.

"We know, Princess, we've been over it a thousand times," Han griped, shoveling a forkful of meat into his mouth. "Let's just relax tonight, eh?"

Luke watched the exchange with reserved amusement, then shot Chewie a look; the Wookie only rolled his eyes. It hadn't been quite one _thousand_ times that they had reviewed the fairly simple mission, but Han was right-Leia was fixated. Then again, Leia was a perfectionist, and stressing over every detail of a plan was in her nature.

"This isn't a vacation, _Captain_ ," she replied tersely. "Relaxation isn't part of the plan. If we don't have a functioning medical bay, we won't have healthy troops, and without them there's no rebellion at all."

Luke winced, knowing this was usually when Han would make an insensitive comment about the rebellion being hopeless and him wanting no part in it, but instead he put down his utensil, shifted closer to her, and massaged one of her hands in his own. "All right, sweetheart, 'm sorry," he murmured, seemingly forgetting that anyone else was even at the table. "I'm just sayin', we ain't even gonna get there for a standard day. Let's just enjoy the fact that we're here havin' a nice meal instead of eating mess hall slop on a frozen rock, eh?" He turned to Luke, raising his eyebrows.

"Han's right, Leia," Luke added, trying unsuccessfully to hide his smirk. "Tomorrow we'll work. Tonight, let's just have some fun."

"Moon jockeys," Leia muttered, but a smile was playing on her own lips as she said it. "Fine, we'll go over the mission again tomorrow. Tonight…" She threw Luke a devilish grin from across the table. "Sabacc."

Luke let out a groan; he was notoriously terrible at sabacc, while Leia and Han usually gave each other a run for each one's money. "That's m'girl," Han said proudly, kissing her quickly on the temple. "I'll get the cards. And the whiskey." He hopped up from the table, and Chewbacca followed him out, roaring something about not putting a drunk captain in his bed again.

Staring at each other once again, Luke burst out laughing. "You're his girl," he teased Leia.

"Shut up, Luke," she replied primly.

"He's got it bad, you know," he said.

"Yes, well, I suppose I do too," Leia murmured, a blush creeping into her cheeks. Her smile was replaced by a frown, her brows furrowing with sudden concern.

"What is it?" Luke asked.

"I just… can't shake the feeling," she sighed, "that… he's going to leave. The price on his head and all that." She snorted. "Or maybe he'll just need an excuse to get rid of me."

"Okay, time to play!" Han announced as he made his return, tossing the cards down on the table. Chewie also rejoined the party with a bottle of Whyren's Reserve and a few glasses. Instinctively, Leia shifted closer to Han as soon as he sat down. "Don't look at my cards, cheater," she told him sternly.

"Don't need to cheat to wipe you out, Your Worshipfulness," he drawled back as he shuffled.

* * *

After a dejected and somewhat tipsy Luke made his way to bed, Chewie also called it quits and Leia and Han were left to clean up the remnants of their evening. They did so in peaceful silence until Han broke it.

"Hey, uh, Leia."

She looked up at him, abandoning the Dejarik table she'd been wiping down.

"I ain't gonna leave you," he said suddenly, an intensity in his eyes. "I'm stayin'. With the Alliance." He took a deep breath. "With you."

She realized that he must have overheard her talking to Luke earlier, but she didn't care. Leia grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her, kissing him with as much intensity as she ever had. He responding in kind, his hands drawing a path down her ribs before reaching her thighs and hitching her up around him. As he deposited her on the newly cleaned table, she tugged his shirt out of his pants, clumsily trying to get it off him, but he was too busy leaving a blazing trail of kisses from her ear to her neck.

"Not here," she finally whispered when she gained control of her senses.

"Can't wait," he growled. "Need you now."

"You're terrible," she replied breathlessly, yet didn't protest when he pulled her pants from her legs. "You're going to get me in trouble."

"Funny, I was thinkin' the same about you," he replied with that half-smile that secretly made her swoon. "Gods, Princess, I never wanted anyone like how I want you. I _always_ want to be near you."

Enough clothes were moved out of the way that he could plunge into her, utilizing the angle of the table and her hips to move just right, just enough to make her come fast and hard in a blinding rush. Her legs wrapped around him in a death grip and he covered her mouth to muffle the noises, finally replacing his hand with his lips as he exploded inside of her, thoroughly spent. He remained there for a few seconds, both of them now bent over the table at a suddenly uncomfortable angle, until she gently pushed him back so she could make herself decent.

The second round of cleaning was worth it, and as they settled into bed that night, Leia drew herself as close to Han as she possibly could. "I'm glad you're staying," she told him with a yawn after he doused the lights.

"I could tell, Princess." Even in the darkness, she was sure he had a smug grin on his face. Before she could come up with a properly snarky response, a flitting thought rushed through her head: _you love him_.

It scared her, the certainly of it. _Yes. I love him. Does he love you? He cares about me. He makes me happy._

"G'night, sweetheart," Han mumbled sleepily, breaking up her internal conversation.

"Goodnight, Han," she replied, pressing a kiss to his chest before drifting off.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Sorry for the short chapter (and exceptional lateness), but I wanted to get something up to show you that I'm still plugging away, albeit extremely slowly. I haven't had much downtime or mental bandwidth lately, but I'm hoping that changes soon. I really appreciate the reviews and kind notes!  
_

* * *

As planned, they landed on Ord Mantell under the cover of darkness, keeping the _Falcon_ safely hidden from view in an unused hangar in the abandoned, run-down industrial district. The plan required Chewbacca to wait onboard, in case he needed to extract them at a moment's notice-which, he reminded the group, he'd had to do more than once before.

"Wow, look at that thing!" Luke cried out while still on the _Falcon_ 's boarding ramp, his eyes wide with excitement. Waiting for them was a speeder, as promised, but not just any speeder. "I've never seen a speeder that fancy!"

"Little flashy, if you ask me," Han grumbled. "Musta cost a fortune."

"It's a classic," Leia corrected. "Chassellon enjoys restoring them."

"Yeah, well, your little friend's gonna make us stand out like a sore thumb."

"Oh, come on, Han," Luke protested. "Weren't you the one telling us to have some fun?"

"Yes, perhaps you should lighten up, Captain Solo," Leia added, a teasing smile on her lips. "Our accommodations are in a very upscale neighborhood. We'll be less conspicuous in this than we would be…" She shot a look back at the _Falcon_. "...in some beat-up old machine."

"Fine. But I'm driving," Han huffed.

"No fair! I want to try it out!" Luke whined.

"Get in the car, moon jockeys," Leia said wryly, her tone suggesting that she was running out of patience. Luke and Han turned to see that she'd already positioned herself in the driver's seat. Han opened his mouth to protest, thought better of it, and sprinted the short distance to the passenger side, settling down next to Leia. Rolling his eyes, Luke trudged over and climbed into the backseat.

* * *

They were only a few hours from sunrise when they finally arrived at the condo, a chic two-bedroom suite with an impressive view. From their quarters, they could see the lights of the casinos below, reminding them that not everyone was sleeping at this hour.

Finally, it was time to get some rest, and Leia was more than ready to settle into the king-sized bed and sink into the soft mattress. Surrounded by plush pillows and blankets, she almost felt like she'd returned to her former life of luxury.

"S'too big," Han complained as he got into bed opposite her, clad only in his undershorts. Though she was far too tired to start anything, Leia still found herself admiring Han's form and biting her lip as she raked her eyes over his lean body. "I can't even reach you."

Giggling, Leia scooted closer to the center of the bed. "You're just used to the tiny bunks on the _Falcon_ ," she told him.

" _Falcon_ 's a classic too, you know," he retorted.

Leia let out a long sigh. "Han, what's going on? You've been in a mood since we landed."

"I ain't in a mood! I just don't know anything about this contact of yours and it's makin' me nervous. How do you even know this guy?"

The smile returned to Leia's face. "Han, are you _jealous_?"

"No!" he protested. "Just wanna know if he's trustworthy, that's all."

She let out a long sigh and ran a reassuring hand over Han's thigh. "We were in the apprentice legislature together, back when I was a teenager. Truth be told, I thought he was insufferable at first. So arrogant. My father said is was a Coruscanti trait," Leia laughed.

"Your father's a smart guy," Han mumbled in agreement.

"But after… after the Rebellion was out in the open, before the _Death Star_ , he reached out to me again to say he supported our cause. We've managed to make contact a few times since then; he siphons off supplies when he can, but he's never known the location of any of our bases or any other critical information that could be tortured out of him. You know I don't trust people blindly, Han."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, sweetheart. Guess I was a little…" He trailed off, both of them knowing what he meant. He laid a few gentle kisses on her lips before sinking into the bed, Leia tucking herself under his arm to rest on his chest.

"So you didn't date this guy, huh? Just waitin' for the right scoundrel, I guess."

Leia rolled her eyes. "Actually, I was involved with someone else in the legislature."

"What?"

"I even let him see me with my hair down."

"Damn, thought I was the first," he frowned, and Leia was relieved that he didn't tease her about a move that would have been considered extremely chaste in any other culture. "Ah, well. What happened? It end badly?"

"You could say that," Leia replied softly. "He died."

"Oh."

"And I found out he was planning to turn evidence of the Rebellion-specifically incriminating my parents-over to the Empire."

Han let out a low whistle. "That is bad," he said simply; not uncaring, but matter-of-fact.

"I've never talked about it with anyone before," she whispered. "Not-in depth. I told myself after that I'd never fall for anyone again." Unable to handle the sudden intensity in Han's eyes, Leia shifted positions, turning her back to him and letting him wrap his arms around her.

"How'd that work out?" he couldn't help asking.

Leia smiled. "I was wrong."

His arms gripped her tighter for a moment, wrapping her in a warm embrace, and Leia was glad she couldn't see his face, because she knew if she could, some words were going to slip out of her mouth that she wasn't ready to say. "Hey, sweetheart," he murmured. She waited, heart pounding against her chest. "I'm stayin', you know. With the Rebellion." Rather than continue its pounding, her heart skipped a beat.

"You better," she finally replied with a yawn right before drifting into a dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

_I'm alive! I've had a rough winter and have been struggling with this chapter for months. Deleted it all, started over, and this came out. It's a short update but this story is not dead, and I think I know where it's going from here._

* * *

Barely a standard day later, Han found himself hurtling through hyperspace back towards Hoth, wondering how things had gone so terribly wrong.

Everything had started out all right-a good night's sleep in a comfy bed, a hearty breakfast he'd cooked while Leia went over the plan for the nineteenth time and Luke meditated on the balcony. Getting ready for the mission, suits and masquerade masks in keeping with the upscale casino's theme of discretion.

Seeing Leia step out of the bedroom in a dress that hugged every curve and made her look like some kind of fire goddess. Ice Queen? Not in the way that red shimmersilk draped over her body.

He'd merely gaped at her for a minute, and it took an elbow from Luke before he was able to find some actual words. "You look… amazing," he said simply. Later, when Luke was out of earshot, he whispered, "You look so kriffin' hot, I'm gonna fuck you with this dress on" and delighted in the matching blush that had spread over her face.

At the casino, they'd met with Leia's contact, arranged the handoff, and made arrangements to get the supplies onto the _Falcon_ without any issues. In addition, Chasselon provided a generous gift of 10,000 credits, "the most I could get away with taking without it looking suspicious," as he put it. Not only was the mission a success, they'd made out even better than expected.

Han grimaced in the pilot's seat, shaking his head. They should have just left then. They should have… but no. He wanted to take Leia out. "We've got some time," he promised as he led her to a high-end cantina that boasted lively music, good food, and strong drinks.

He shook his head at the memory of the two of them sitting dangerously close to each other in a dark booth, sharing plates of this and that, enjoying the local cuisine. She'd turned down a drink of her own but kept sipping his Whyren's Reserve, not that he minded. They could barely keep their hands off each other, and all he could think about was getting her back to the ship, which Chewie had been loading up at that moment while Luke packed up their belongings.

The things they were whispering to each other were getting more and more _personal_ , and those three words had been on the very tip of his tongue-" _Leia, I love you"_ -

And then the screaming. And the blaster.

He'd jumped up and pulled his own blaster without fully realizing what was happening, and in that moment he saw, across the bar, a flash of colorful armor, and realized in a chilling moment that it wasn't Leia who had been discovered; it was him.

That's when she'd jumped in front of him.

"She's doing okay," Luke said, entering the cockpit. "Vitals are fine. She should wake up around the time we land."

The bounty hunter's blaster had been set to stun, no doubt to collect the hefty reward on Han's live body rather than out of any sense of humanity. Han had to carry her out of the casino, calling on Chasselon to provide a distraction while Luke and Chewie extracted them.

"She's going to be fine, Han," Luke continued, putting a hand on his shoulder. Han turned away, his eyes stinging.

"S'my fault," he muttered angrily. "Why the hell'd she do that?"

A few moments of silence fell between them before Luke ventured, "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Reluctantly, Han nodded. "Can't let this happen again. Gotta pay off Jabba. Once and for all."

Sinking into the copilot's seat, Luke sighed deeply. "That's going to break her heart," he told his friend.

Han bit the inside of his cheek, trying to keep his emotions in check. _Her and me both, kid,_ he thought bitterly.

Leia still wasn't fully coherent when they docked, so Han stayed behind, letting Luke check in with High Command in their place. Chewbacca had made a final appearance in the cockpit before following Luke, wanting to make one last appeal.

" _You do not have to leave,"_ he pleaded. " _We can find another way to pay off this bounty. We can remain underground."_

"That's not an option for her," Han snapped gruffly, pointing his thumb in the direction of his bunk. "They saw how we were at the cantina-they know they can use her to get to me now."

Chewie considered this briefly. " _You are very noble,"_ he growled. " _Not all men would make this sacrifice. But just consider how the little princess would feel about someone making this sacrifice… for her."_

The Wookiee had left then, his heavy feet clomping down the ramp, leaving Han alone at last. He trudged wearily to his cabin, where Leia was slowly waking up in his bunk. Her lips turned up when she saw him.

"You're okay," she whispered. "I was worried."

He shook his head, doubling down in his determination. "Leia," he started helplessly.

"You got us out? Are we... are we at the base?" she asked.

Han nodded. She threw his arms around him, pulling him in for a tight hug that nearly wrecked him.

"I knew it. I knew you'd save us. That means the mission was a success."

Han pulled back. "Leia, listen to me."

"Wait," she insisted. "I was thinking, back on Ord Mantell. About us. And… I was going to tell you, in the cantina."

"Leia, please don't-"

"I don't want us to hide anymore," she blurted out. "On base. I mean, I don't want to announce it, either, but I have no reason to be ashamed. I care about you. I don't care who knows." Leia's cheeks turned red and she looked away, no doubt feeling vulnerable about having made this admission. Han groaned inwardly, fighting himself on what to say next. When she pulled him down to her, all he could do was kiss her back helplessly.

"Leia," he breathed again when he finally pulled away. _Do it, Solo. Do it for her._ "I thought I lost you."

She smiled at him sweetly. "I'm right here, silly."

"I gotta go."

It felt like it took every ounce of strength he had just to choke the words out, and immediately the room felt like all the oxygen had gone straight out the airlock. Her body stiffened, and she seemed to move away from him in slow motion, processing his words methodically before hissing, "What?"

"I can't stay with you anymore. Not with this price on my head. Not after what happened."

Leia stared at him for a few moments before shoving her way past him and out of the cabin. Not about to let her go without talking about it, Han chased after her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back to him before she hit the ramp.

"Leia, _wait_ ," he insisted. "I ain't done. I don't wanna leave, but I can't put you in danger anymore."

"Danger?" she cried, a hint of laughter in her voice. "I've been in danger every day since I was sixteen. What makes you think you're so special?"

"Because what happened on Ord Mantell was because of me!" he yelled. "What if that blaster hadn't been set to stun? Huh? You think I could stand losing you like that?"

"Oh, but it's perfectly fine for me to lose _you_ ," she snarled back. "Because it's not like the Ice Princess has any feelings." She pulled her wrist out of his grasp and covered her mouth as she choked back a sob.

"Sweetheart," Han pleaded helplessly. "It's not like that. I'm trying to protect you."

"More like you got what you wanted out of me," Leia spat. "Finally fucked the princess, what's the use in staying around?"

"That's not fair. You know that's not how I feel!" he yelled.

She shook her head and stared at him, the hurt visible in her eyes. "Then why are you doing this?" Leia cried.

"Because _I love you!_ " Han blurted in response.

They stood still, their locked stares almost a challenge. Then Leia felt tears spilling over and running down her cheeks. She took a few steps backwards before turning and running out of the _Falcon_ , her footsteps echoing on the ramp. She didn't stop until she reached her quarters.


	9. Chapter 9

It was early the next morning when she was due to report in to High Command. Leia had spent a restless night in her bunk, finally giving up on sleep around 0300 and going over her report instead. She needed to make Mon and the others see that this mission had been an overwhelming success, despite the final hiccup.

 _Hiccup, that's one way to put it. A bounty hunter shot you and a smuggler broke your heart_.

Her plan was to keep the details of the attack vague and just stress that they'd gotten back to base safely and without being tracked. The last thing she needed was her colleagues deciding that sending her out on missions was too _dangerous_ for their precious figurehead.

Leia entered the conference room in a stark white coldsuit and hair in a tight crown of braids, looking far more put-together than her emotions would have implied. She stopped short when she noticed that it was nearly empty. In fact, only three people were present at the long conference table: Rieekan, General Dodonna, and Mon Mothma.

"Have a seat, Your Highness," Dodonna greeted her gruffly.

She took a chair near the trio, looking around warily. "I thought I was debriefing all of High Command about the Ord Mantell mission," Leia stated calmly despite the alarms blaring in her head.

The elder members of the council exchanged looks. "Leia," Mon said softly, "Tell us about the bounty hunter."

 _How could you possibly know that already?_ she wondered, forcing her face to maintain its stoic gaze. It seemed unlikely that Han would have told them, but then again, she hadn't seen him since yesterday. "It appears that you already know the story. After securing the medical supplies, we were attacked by a bounty hunter and managed to escape to the _Millennium Falcon_ ," Leia offered.

"How did this… Boba Fett get the jump on you?" Dodonna asked. "Did you let your guard down?"

"Jan," Rieekan warned.

"I may have underestimated the risk of a local establishment," Leia sighed. "I know it was risky for me to have been seen in public, even with a disguise, but it was a calculated risk and I believe it was worth it. The mission _was_ successful, and that's what's important. We have fresh stores of bacta and other medicines, and we've secured a means to continue to get these supplies."

Dodonna and Mon exchanged looks again, while Rieekan shot her a sympathetic glance. "Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Leia continued, annoyance flaring in her voice.

Mon sighed and pushed a datapad towards Leia. Leia furrowed her brows, confused, and then looked down at the screen.

It was a photo of her at the cantina back on Ord Mantell, practically sitting in Han's lap, she was so close to him. Her mask was still on, but her hair was slipping out of its arrangement and she was somewhat recognizable. Han had his arm around her and her hand was on his chest; the couple was frozen in laughter.

"This is the night you were attacked, is it not?" Mon asked.

"How… where did this come from?" Leia asked, her cool facade broken.

"They're on the HoloNet," Mon told her. "Someone in this bar took pictures and sold them to the press. It's a safe bet that the Empire knows that you were just on Ord Mantell."

Leia looked around the table, meeting the eyes of everyone there. "Are you implying that we were caught off guard because I was impaired in some way?"

"There are more," Mon replied, nodding her head at the datapad. Leia swiped through, feeling her cheeks redden a little more with each one. Han sipping his whiskey with his arm around her shoulders while she nursed a glass of water. Him landing what appeared to be a sweet kiss on her temple as she smiled. She was embarrassed at the obvious evidence of her relationship, but nothing was quite so terrible-

She gasped. The last photo had been taken later in the night, probably right before the attack. She and Han were staring at each other as if they were the only ones in the bar, their lips only centimeters apart, a slight smile on her lips and a wide smirk on his. She was tipping his whiskey towards her own mouth. She looked like she didn't have a care in the world-and that, she suspected, was what High Command was worried about.

Leia pushed the datapad away and looked up, remaining stoic. "I'm not sure what this has to do with anything. The mission was still successful."

"Princess," Rieekan finally said, a gentleness in his voice that the other two lacked. "We're not accusing you of anything. We just want to know what happened."

"Is something going on between you and Captain Solo?" Mon asked, more to the point.

"Am I not allowed to have personal relationships?" Leia challenged.

It was clear from the looks on Dodonna's and Mon's faces that they took her answer as confirmation. "Of course you're allowed to have personal relationships," Rieekan continued hurriedly. "You're an adult and we respect your autonomy and independence." He threw a pointed look at Jan as he uttered that last line.

"My concern isn't what you are or aren't doing with Captain Solo on base or behind closed doors," Mon said. "I'm worried that your relationship with him may have become a liability."

"I'm not some lovesick teenager," Leia shot back. "My loyalty has always been to the Alliance."

"And yet, your romantic feelings clearly affected your cognition on Ord Mantell," the Chancellor replied; not unkindly, but not gently, either. "As a result, you allowed yourself to be recognized and some bounty hunter took it upon himself to cash in on your reward by bringing you to the Empire."

"He wasn't after me," Leia grumbled defensively.

"Excuse me?" Jan asked.

"Boba Fett didn't come for me. He was trying to capture Han," she explained.

"Why would he do that? Solo's bounty is miniscule compared to yours."

She let out a long sigh. "He has more than one bounty," Leia began. "Han owes a large sum of money to Jabba the Hutt-he has since before he even started working with us. Fett was one of the Hutt's associates. _Han_ is the one who was almost captured, and it's because he was helping _us_."

"Huh," Rieekan grunted. Leia could almost swear there was a hint of amusement-or was it respect?-in his voice.

"Nonetheless," Mon chimed in. "It's now known to the Empire that Captain Solo is working with us, and to the Hutt syndicate that he's with you. And regardless of what you say, you clearly let your guard down at some point because of your… romantic entanglements. We can't risk exposure."

"We think it's best if you two no longer take off-world assignments together," Dodonna added. "Solo's welcome to continue working for us on a contractual basis, but he won't be assigned to the same missions as you."

Leia shook her head. She had no energy left to argue, and it was all about to be rendered moot, anyway. "He's leaving."

"What?" Rieekan asked, startled.

"He's leaving," she repeated, louder this time. "So your concern is noted and appreciated, but unnecessary. Captain Solo will be gone in a few days, and I assure you, I won't let my personal relationships interfere with Alliance business ever again." Then she stood and walked from the room, not even caring about her brazen display of insubordination.

* * *

Han was across the corridor when he saw Leia burst out of a conference room. He'd just come from her quarters; he needed to talk to her before leaving. It couldn't end like this.

"Leia!" he shouted from across the room. She stared at him for a moment, the pain clear in her eyes, before turning on her heel and walking steadily in the other direction. Shaking his head, Han picked up his pace and followed after her, even though he knew the exchange was garnering attention. "Come on, Leia, talk to me!"

Before he could reach her, General Rieekan exited the same room she'd just come from. He took one look at Han, looked in the other direction at Leia's quickly disappearing form, and put a hand on Han's shoulder. "Not now, son."

"But-" Han's protest died on his lips when he saw Mon Mothma and General Dodonna exit the same room Leia and Rieekan had come from. Upon seeing Han, Dodonna narrowed his eyes in disapproval before following the chancellor down the hallway. "What-what just happened?" Han finally sputtered. "Did she just get in trouble because of me?"

Rieekan looked around the hall and tilted his head in the direction of his office. "Let's talk somewhere else," he muttered. "I'm sure Her Highness wouldn't want this conversation to be public."

In a corner, trying to look inconspicuous, Wedge and Hobbie stared at the exchange, jaws agape. "Did you see that?" the younger Rogue Squadron member asked.

"Yeah, I saw it," Wedge replied. Something in Leia's eyes-and in Han's-bothered him. It took the fun out of speculating about their potential relationship.

"Oh man, I bet they hooked up on that last mission. What do you think, two-to-one odds?" Hobbie continued excitedly. "Just wait'll I tell the guys. No, wait-I'll make 'em bet on it first."

"Don't," Wedge sighed. "Don't say anything."

"Aw, come on, Wedge! It's just for fun!"

"Yeah, I know," the Captain replied, "but when our friends are hurting it ain't fun anymore."

* * *

"Is it true, then? You're planning to leave?"

Han looked up from the glass of whiskey General Rieekan had presented him with upon entering his office. He let out a long sigh. "Yeah, I'm leavin'."

"I see." Rieekan pressed his lips together. "I trusted you with her."

"Oh, for fuck's-I never asked for-" Exasperated, Han shook his head. "I ain't doin' it for me, you know!"

The older man smiled sadly. "I believe you," he said.

"She almost got killed cause'a me," Han went on between sips of Whyren's Reserve. "Then she got in trouble with High Command-I can't let this happen again. I gotta take care of this debt, that's the only way she'll be safe."

"But she's not safe, Solo," Rieekan replied with a wry grin. "We are at war here."

"Yeah, she mentioned that too," the smuggler grumbled. "And it's one thing if she dies for the cause, but it's another if it's because I got her involved with-got involved with her. _Damn_."

Han practically spat the last word out, as if confessing this to Leia's father figure was physically painful. _Hell, for him it might be_ , Rieekan thought to himself with amusement.

"It's quite a thing, to realize you love someone enough to put their own well-being before your own, isn't it?" Carlist said softly, changing tracks. He raised an eyebrow at Han as if daring him to challenge the assessment, but he only grunted in response.

"I can't stay, but I don't wanna leave things like this," Han finally confessed, his voice heavy. He buried his face in his hands before running them through his hair. "I gotta make sure she knows…"

Rieekan smiled sadly. "I believe, in time, she will. I can't say what the right choice is here, Solo. But I know you're a good man, and I know that you care about her. Maybe what's best is a clean break, if you insist on leaving."

Han nodded reluctantly. Clean break. No drawn-out goodbye, no last kiss, no last time… doing anything.

"I hate to even ask," the general continued, breaking through his thoughts, "but if you can stick around just an afternoon longer, I could use someone to accompany Commander Skywalker on a scouting mission. The catch is, you'll have to use tauntauns-the speeders still aren't ready."

Han rolled his eyes; he wasn't surprised that nothing worked on this icy hell. "Yeah, I gotta say my goodbyes to the kid anyway," he grumbled. "Might as well take one last assignment."


	10. Chapter 10

There were some things he'd miss about his time with the rebellion, Han admitted to himself, but kriffin' Hoth was not one of them.

The wind stung his face, and despite being covered in layers of protective outerwear, he couldn't stop the chill from reaching him. "Be glad to leave this planet behind," he muttered to himself, forgetting that he was still on the comm with Luke.

"You really have to go? Now?"

Han sighed. "Yeah, kid. I gotta go."

"But what about Leia?"

Luke's words stung even more than the bitter temperatures. _What about her?_ he wanted to reply. He'd poured his heart out to her, sort of, and she refused to talk to him. "Doin' this for Leia," he finally replied bitterly. "Not that she gives a damn."

"She's hurting. You know she cares about you."

 _Do I?_ Han shook his head; Luke's Jedi patience was getting to him. "If it goes all right, maybe I'll be back," he said.

"I hope I see you again, Han," Luke's voice crackled over the commlink. "May the Force be with you."

"Yeah… you too, kid. Take care of yourself." He paused for a few seconds before adding, "Take care of her."

"Always."

"Ready to head back?"

"You go on ahead. I want to check out this meteorite."

He smirked a bit, imagining Luke's wide-eyed curiosity. After spending his entire life on a desolate desert planet, the kid was fascinated by anything in nature that didn't involve the sun or sand. "All right, don't stay out too long. I'm heading back before this smelly thing croaks." And with that, Han nudged his tauntaun and turned back toward the base, leaving his friend behind.

* * *

Hours later, he was still stuck in the hangar, frustrated at Chewie, at the _Falcon_ , at himself. He knew what it must look like-that his big show of leaving was all talk, _again_ -and it was all he could do to keep from slamming his tools into the open engineering pit in front of him. Why did the _Falcon_ need to let him down _now_? Now, when he'd finally worked up the nerve to go? He could swear he saw those Rogue Squadron pilots hangin' around gazing at him, mumbling amongst themselves about his continued presence.

Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, he saw a metallic gold figure approaching, trailed by a blue and white astromech. _Great. Figures Goldenrod would pick now to say his goodbyes._

"Captain Solo! Captain Solo!" Threepio cried, echoed by R2's beeps. "Captain Solo-"

"Yeah, I'm here, Goldenrod. Whaddaya want?"

"The Princess has been trying to reach you!"

 _Leia?!_ He reached in his pocket for his comm, realizing he'd turned it off hours ago. Switching it back on, Han immediately recognized the flashing red light as a sign of a missed message. "What's she want?" he asked hesitantly, afraid to get his hopes up.

"It's Master Luke. He hasn't returned since his perimeter check hours ago!"

Han shook his head. How could that be possible? He'd come back in with Luke and-

No. He'd left Luke behind. He never actually saw him come back to base.

"Kest," Han swore under his breath. He stormed over to the nearest officer, the droids hot on his heels. "Hey, you! Has Commander Skywalker come back yet?"

"N-n-no sir!" the officer responded. "It's possible he came in through another entrance-"

Han pursed his lips and growled, trying not to take his anger out on this young guy, barely out of his teens. "Forget it. I'm going after him. Are the speeders ready?"

"No, Captain Solo."

 _Perfect. Of course. Why would the speeders work? Why would anything work in this half-baked army?_ Han knew his only option was to go out on tauntaun. The sun was setting on Hoth, and the temperatures quickly dropping. None of these odds were good. He lifted his comm to his lips, quickly pushed a sequence of buttons that he'd memorized long ago. "Hey, Leia. I'm gonna find him." Not giving her a chance to respond, he clicked the commlink off again and approached the tauntaun pen.

"Sir, it's much too cold!" a more senior officer protested as Han pulled himself up on the loathsome, smelly creature. "You'll freeze before you reach the first marker!"

"Then I'll see you in hell!" Han called out as he raced out the blast doors.

* * *

Sometime after midnight, Leia found herself wandering into the hangar.

She knew the odds. She knew that Luke had probably met some unfortunate fate before anyone even noticed he was missing. She knew Han had foolishly gone after him anyway.

Threepio had rushed to her station in the command center, screeching her title. _"Princess Leia! Princess Leia!"_

Before she had a chance to shut the droid up, he'd continued on about Han, going out in the cold after Luke. On tauntaun. And how neither of them had been heard from since.

Leia had taken a moment to gather herself, aware that her reaction was being watched. Mon Mothma happened to be in the control room, and she was observing carefully. Before she could figure out how to respond while still keeping her dignity, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

 _Carlist_ _._

 _"Thank you, See-Threepio,"_ he'd answered quickly before turning to Leia. _"Your highness, perhaps you should station yourself in the hangar."_

He was giving her an out, and she knew it. A protest rose in her mind, yet all she could say was, _"If you insist, General."_

Hours later, long after they'd looked to her for permission to close the blast doors, she remained in the hangar, thinking of what she was about to lose. Luke, so innocent and good, nowhere near fulfilling what she was sure was an epic destiny. Han, so... _Han._

She knew she'd probably lost him, too.

She'd thought she lost him after Ord Mantell, but this was something different. The finality of it was brutal, and she realized she'd been holding onto the slim hope that when Han left, when he took care of his debt, he'd come back. For the Rebellion. For Luke. For her.

Leia wanted him to come back. And she hadn't told him. She hadn't told him anything.

 _Because I love you!_ His words rang in her head. She hadn't been able to deal with them, but now all she could think about was all the things she should have said.

 _Please don't leave. We can figure this out. I want you here._

 _I love you too._

She caught a glimpse of Chewbacca standing on the _Falcon_ 's open ramp, and he gave her a mournful howl. Moving closer to him, Leia wrapped his arms around the Wookiee in a hug.

"Chewie," she spat out as tears filled her eyes.

 _Don't worry, little one_ , he growled. _He is strong. He'll come back._

Leia shook her head, refusing herself the comfort of hope. "I ruined everything," she confessed.

Chewbacca looked at her curiously. _Perhaps it's not too late._

With every fiber of her being, she wanted him to be right.

* * *

Leia wasn't sure when she'd fallen asleep in the captain's quarters, but before she knew it, a giant furry paw was shaking her awake.

 _They've found them!_

It took a moment for her to remember the events of the previous night, and then she shot up, tossing the blankets aside. "Are they…?"

 _They're alive!_

That was all it took. She leapt out of bed and ran ahead of Chewie, through the _Falcon_ 's curved hallways and out the ramp. A crowd had gathered as the hangar doors slowly opened.

Two medical techs rushed by with a hover-stretcher, and Leia barely had time to register Luke's unconscious form. "Luke!" she cried, bending over him as the techs were forced to stop.

"He's alive, your highness, but we must get him to the medbay immediately," one of the medical technicians prodded gently.

She stood straight and nodded, and they were off again. Turning back towards the hangar door, she found what she was looking for-no stretcher, no help needed, still a swagger in his step despite the chill that had clearly taken root in his bones. Ice chips had formed in his stubble and his face was bone white, but his eyes held the same intensity they always had when they met hers. Walking steadily towards him-no, running, crowd be damned-Leia didn't stop until her arms were around his neck and she was crashing into him, nearly knocking him over before his arms wrapped around her waist and held her steady. Then she was kissing him, breathing life back into him, restoring him by crashing her warm mouth against his cold one.

She knew that half the base was watching, but she didn't care, it didn't matter anymore, all she wanted was this, him, _him_. He kissed her just as passionately, hand moving from her waist to her hair, practically bending her backwards with the intensity of it.

Finally, their lips parted, though he still held her, and she still leaned against him, finally whispering-

"I love you."

He touched his forehead to hers, a grin forming on his face.

"I know."


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

It was a position they'd taken many times before-curled up on a too-small bunk, knees bumping, practically forehead to forehead. But instead of a sweaty, passionate reunion in Han's cabin in the _Falcon_ , they were fully clothed and sharing one of Echo Base's medbay cots.

Leia had insisted Han get checked out, even though his injuries weren't nearly as grave as Luke. _Luke_. Thank the gods he was going to be okay once he emerged from that bacta tank. Han was fine too, but the Two-Onebee wanted to keep him overnight for observation, and Leia hadn't left his side since.

Her hands wandered carelessly through his hair, up and down his face, across his lips, to his shoulders. His hands, meanwhile, remained firm on her waist, his stare refusing to lose any of its intensity. "What happens now?" she finally asked, breaking the peaceful silence.

"I dunno," Han replied with a shrug. "We'll figure it out. We always do." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Say it again," he whispered.

Leia smiled. She'd never have expected those words-any words-to carry so much weight with Han, but he couldn't get enough of them. "I love you," she promised.

"Love you too," he replied, finally stretching to kiss her.

"Hey, Solo!" a voice cried out from behind them.

Instinctively, Leia raised her upper body to see who was disturbing them, just as Han twisted around to find half of Rogue Squadron in his medbay room. He winced, sure that Leia wouldn't be pleased about being discovered during a cuddling session-but once again, she surprised him.

"Sorry, Princess," Wedge said apologetically. "Didn't know you were, uh. You know."

"Is everything all right?" Leia asked with an arch of an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Wes Janson chimed in. "We were just checkin' on Luke, but he's still in the tank, so-"

"We just wanted to make sure Solo was okay," Wedge continued. "He still owes most of us money from that last game of Sabacc."

"I'm fine, fellas," Han replied gruffly. "Her Worship here was just worried about me." He flashed her a beaming smile, as if to say _you can't be mad at me, Princess._

Leia rolled her eyes. "Clearly the cold hasn't affected your mental cognition, since there was nothing there to begin with," she deadpanned before turning her gaze to Wedge and his squad. "We're fine, thank you. We'll probably be a lot better once you give us some privacy."

Han wasn't entirely sure he hadn't drifted into a coma when she _winked_ at them.

"Sweetheart," he murmured after the pilots scattered, "You keep talking like that, people're gonna get the wrong idea."

"I think they'll get the right idea," she mumbled back. "That I'm with you and you're with me and that's-the way it is." Leia pointed her head up, staring him in the eye. "Is that the right idea?"

"Best idea I ever heard," Han replied with a sigh of relief he didn't even know he was holding in. "Took you long enough to figure it out."

"And you're not leaving."

"Not leaving," he agreed. "But we are gonna have to do something about this debt eventually."

She gave him a smile and a shrug that seemed to say _we'll figure it out_.

They had just embarked on another round of slow, shallow kisses when they heard footsteps behind them. Han growled, clearly annoyed at another interruption. "Wedge, if you don't get outta here-"

Too late, they both realized the footsteps belonged not to any Rogues, but General Rieekan. Leia's reaction was markedly different; she quickly stood up, running a hand over some stray strands of hair. "General," she greeted him, a little breathless, cheeks pink.

Han cringed and sat up as well, accepting a handshake from the general. "Glad to have you back, Solo," Rieekan said. "That was a brave thing you did. Foolish as hell, sure, but very brave."

"Eh, it was nothin'," Han replied with a sly grin. Behind him, Leia rolled her eyes.

"I wish I was only here to offer well wishes, but unfortunately I have some troubling news. Our scouts have found a mechanical object near the base, and it's not one of our droids. We need to be on high alert until the signal is interpreted."

Leia's eyes widened as she let out a small gasp, and Han, no longer caring who saw, grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I'll report to the command center immediately," she told her superior officer. "We'll have the evacuation procedures ready, just in case."

"I'm goin' with you," Han said, getting up from the cot.

"Han, you need to _rest_."

"Hey, we just talked about this. Where you go, I go."

Leia's blush was a furious shade of red now, but she nodded in agreement. "Lead the way," she said to Rieekan.

The general took a few steps towards the exit, then stopped and turned back to the couple, still holding hands. "Has anyone ever told you two that you're very cute together?"

Rieekan turned back around before he could see their faces, but he couldn't help but chuckle at Leia's exasperated groan.

* * *

It was late into the night on Endor, so late it was closer to sunrise than sunset, but still the celebration raged on.

Han and Luke stood shoulder-to-shoulder as they watched Leia, seeming more alive than ever, dance with various pilots and commandos, her hair swirling around her as she tried her best to move to the Ewoks' beat.

"She's really somethin', isn't she?" Han asked.

Luke smiled. "That she is." He paused for a moment before asking, "She told you?"

"About Vader? Yeah. Fuck, did not see that one coming." Han shook his head. "Doesn't matter to me though. Don't know why she thought I was gonna leave her over it." He grinned at his younger friends. "You two bein' twins, though, that kinda balances things out."

Luke smiled back. "Now that you know she's not leaving you for me."

Han was tempted to make a crude joke about a certain kiss on Hoth, but bit his tongue, changing gears instead. "Listen, kid, I gotta ask you something." Suddenly serious, Han turned to him. "I heard that on Alderaan, uh, when you wanna marry a girl, it's tradition to ask her old man for his blessing." He coughed. "Which, uh, for obvious reasons, I can't do."

Luke stared at the smuggler-turned-general for a second, confused, and then realization dawned on him. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "You're gonna-you want to propose to Leia!"

"Keep it down," Han hissed. "Look, you're her only living family member and… I want to do this right."

Luke smiled. "Of course. Well, before I give you my blessing, I must know-what are your intentions toward my sister?"

Han rolled his eyes. "C'mon, kid."

"You're the one who said you wanted to do this right."

A deep sigh, and Han admitted, "You know I've… had it bad for her since… well, the first Death Star, probably. I just wanna make her happy for as long as she'll let me."

Luke looked almost too pleased with himself, so Han couldn't help adding, "And in the short term I'm gonna rip that Ewok dress off her and christen every corner of the _Falcon_ I haven't had her in yet." He winked at his would-be brother-in-law.

"Ugh, stop," Luke protested. "You have my blessing, just… never talk about that stuff again."

"What are you boys doing?"

They both looked up and noticed Leia approaching them, seemingly glowing in the firelight. She slid up to Han's side as he wrapped an arm around her, and Luke couldn't help but notice how _right_ they looked together.

"Just talkin' about how pretty you are, sweetheart," Han said, laying on the charm. Luke rolled his eyes.

"I'm gonna go find Wedge and the guys," Luke told them, eager to give the couple some time alone. He started to break away, but Leia pulled him into a hug before he could make his exit.

"Thank you," she murmured against him as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Anytime, _sis_ ," he teased, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

Once Luke had disappeared into the darkness, Leia turned to Han. "Take me home," she said simply.

* * *

The _Falcon's_ hatch had barely closed before they were all over each other, clothes falling in a haphazard trail to the captain's cabin, and almost as quickly they were lying naked in each other's arms, catching their breath. Han marveled at the way Leia fit against him and wrapped his arm around her even tighter. "Good, sweetheart?"

"Mmm," she hummed in obvious pleasure. "You're pretty good at that."

"Only pretty good?"

"Best I ever had," she said airily with a shrug before a smile broke across from her face and she dropped the act.

"Best I ever had too," he muttered, surprised at his own seriousness. He knew this was all he wanted, for the rest of his life. He'd never been so sure of anything.

"Thank you for still being here," she mumbled.

"Meant what I said today, Leia. I don't care who your parents were. Nothing's gonna change my mind about you."

She propped herself up on one elbow, studied his face for a moment, and simply said, "Marry me."

Han let out a noise somewhere between a choke and a laugh. He opened and shut his mouth a few times, then thought better of it and climbed over Leia and out of the bunk, still fully naked.

"Han, wait," Leia called after him, holding the covers to her chest self-consciously. Had she totally misinterpreted his feelings? Did she jump to conclusions? He was rooting through a storage locker and she heard him cry out in triumph before he turned back to her, a tiny box in his hand. "What's this?" she asked.

"You know, I was gonna do this all romantic-like, maybe on a quiet hill at sunset or somethin'," Han started, dropping to one knee.

"What are you-what is this-"

"But of course you had to beat me to it. Always a competition with you, Your Highness," he continued, grinning widely as he popped open the box. Inside was a ring, gold woven in an intricate pattern with two gemstones set within it. She gasped.

"Where did you get this?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Bespin," he answered simply, meeting her eyes. "And by the way, yes. Hell yeah, I'll marry you. Sweetheart."

She pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger, and he climbed back into the bed, stretching out beside her and kissing her deeply. "I love you," he murmured near her ear. "Love you so goddamn much I don't even know what to do with myself."

"Bespin? You've had this since Bespin?" Since before the ambush, the carbon freezing, the rescue, Endor?

He shrugged. "I wasn't exactly lookin' for it, but I walked through a marketplace near the _Falcon_ 's dock and I spotted it and I just-I dunno. Felt like I should get it."

Leia shook her head gently, staring down at her ring finger. "You never stop surprising me, flyboy," she said.

He smirked, clearly pleased with himself, but also overwhelmingly happy. "And I never will."

 **The End**

* * *

 _Thanks for reading, for the reviews and kind notes, and for being patient with me! It took forever, but I finished! Now go finish your own idea!_


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